Evening star., 1948-06-08
Senators Vote
Year Extension
OF Trade Pacts
Revision Less Drastic
Than House Version;
Compromise Wins
By the Assoeiated Press

The Senate Finance Commit
tee voted, 8 to S, today to extend
the Reciprocal Trade Agree
ments Act one year with less
drastic revision than the House
approved.
The committee approved the bill
after adopting, to 6. a compromise
amendment proposed by Republican
Senators Vandenberg of Michigan
and Millikin of Colorado, the COM
mittee chairman.
Under this amendment, the Presi-
dent would have to notify Congress
within 80 days if he ignores RECON-
mendations of the Federal Tariff
Commission in making trade agree
ments.
A House provision, which the
committee threw out. would have
allowed Congress to veto tariff rates
approved by the President in dis
regarding Tariff Commission recon-
mendatiGns.
Division on Party Lines.
Approval of the Millikin- -Vanden-
berg amendment was on strict party
lines, with seven Republicans for it
and six Democrats against. Sena-
tor Millikin refused to say how the
committee members lined up later
in approving the bill, 8 to S.
The present Trade Agreements
Act is scheduled to expire Satur-
day. The administration had asked
a three-year extension without
change. The House Republican ma
jority slammed through bill ex-
tending the act one year with the
curbs on the Presidents tariff -mak-
ing power.
The Republican majority on the
Senate committee previously had
opposed the three-year extension
without change.
Taft Opposed Compromise.
Before the committee session to-
day, Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio assailed the Millikin-Vanden-
berg proposal, saying it would leave
too much power with the President.
The Democrats said it would have
the effect of killing the reciprocal
trade program.
Under the compromise amend
ment, the President would have to-
give his reasons to Congress within
30 days after he went ahead with
an agreement over the Tariff Com
mission recommendations.
Power Retention Seen.
Senator Millikin told reporters the
committee bill retains for the Presi-
dent "every power he has at the
present time" He added that it
would impose "only one restraint
that he notify Congress when he
exceeds the Tariff Commission S
recommendations, and say why he
did So"
Here are the main provisions of
the Senate bill:
l. A one-year extension beyond
next Saturday.
2. The President, before entering
into tariff negotiations, would have
to furnish the Tariff Commission a
list of the articles to be covered by
the negotiations.
3. The commission would inveSti-
gate and set up peril points be-
yond which it felt the President
could not go without causing or
threatening to cause serious injury
to domestic producers.
Public Hearings Required.
a. The commission would be re-
quired to hold public hearings.
s. The President, as in the case
now. could be advised by Govern
ment agencies other than the Tariff
Commission.
g. The role of the Tariff Commits
sion as fact-finding agency would
be continued. 1t would be prohib-
tied from making binding decisions.
T. If the President set aside the
commissions recommendations, he
would have to report that to Con-
gress within 80 days and say why.
s. The commission, in case where
its recommendation were ignored,
would be required to file with Con-
creSS its report to the President.