Evening star., 1949-02-02
Reciproca|1ra
P|anVoted LIB,
byCommittee
z House Republicans
Join Democrats
In Backing Bill
BY the Associated Press

Democrats drove through the
House Ways and Means Com
mittee on 17-to-8 vote today a
bill restoring until June IL, 1851,
the full powers of the old recip-
rocal trade law.
President Truman requested the
legislation, telling Congress it is
needed to remove hobbies put on
trade negotiations by the Republic
an-eponsored tariff law passed in
1948.
He said full operation of the trade
act would build world commerce and
promote peace
Two Observation-Disclosures
Kean of New Jersey and Holmes of
Washington-joined Is Democrats
in support of the measure.
Opposing were eight Republicans
House Debate Due Next Week.
The legislation will go to the
House for debate next week, with a
vote expected Wednesday.
1t gives the President power, with
out any reference to Congress, to
cut American duties up to so per cent
below January /, 194l, tariffs, in
trade pacts with nations that agree
to reduce their trade barriers.
The 1948 COP revision of the
trade law provided for detailed
studies by the Federal Tariff Com
mission.
1t required the President to make
an explanation to Congress if he cut
any duty against the commissions
advice that this might harm an
American producer
Two Amendments Rejected
The committee, on strict 15-to-10
party line votes, rejected two Re-
publican Amendments.
One by Representative Simpson,
Republican, Of Pennsylvania would
have called on the Tariff Commis-
sion to set peril points" below which
tariffs should not be cut. 1t omitted
the present requirement that the
President give Congress an explana-
ton if tariff was reduced below
such a level.
The other, by Representative Cur
tiss, Republican. of Nebraska would
have called on the President to put
into all trade agreements the So
called escape clause" whereby this
Nation could re-negotiate specific
item OF duty found to be injurious
to an American industry after q
pact was negotiated.
Recent trade pacts embody such
escape clauses.
First Enacted in 1884.
The reciprocal trade law was
enacted in 1884. Prior to that time
Congress itself wrote all tariff rates.
Before the vote in committee
some Democrats had indicated they
might go even further than the
President asked, giving the reciprocal
trade program three-year lease
on life instead of two. But they
decided to abide by the Presidents
specific recommendations on the
length of the extension.
The swift action on the reciprocal
trade program opened the way for
the Ways and Means Committee to
start on White House proposals for
expansion of social security. Mr.
Truman wants 100000 more per-
sons brought into the old age in
surance system and an increase of
at least so per cent in benefits. He
also wants health and disability
insurance.
Labor and management spokes-
men for several ndustries-includ-
ing watches, pottery and glassware
testified at the committees final
hearing that their business is be-
ing hurt by foreign imports. Most
indorsed the principle of the recip-
rocal program but asked safeguards
against ruinous foreign competi-
| ton.
The Mayors of Americas three
big matchmaking cities planned to
see President Truman today to
plead for fewer Swiss watch imports
The Mayors came from Waltham,
Mass, Lancaster, Pa, and Elgin, Ill.