Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-25
One-Year Extension
OF Trade Act Nears
Final Congress Step
BY ]. A. o'Leory

By J.. A. oLeory
A one-year extension Of the
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act
without substantial change was
close to final action in Congress
today after passing the Senate
last night.
Republicans presented united
front to beat of Democratic at
tempt to liberalize the law and
extend it for three years. The
vote was As to 80. Six Democrats
Joined 80 Republicans in oppos-
ing the substitute. No Repuoll-
cans jumped the party fence.
| Once that fight was over. both
parties got behind the one-year
bill, approving it II to 8. The
dissenters were Republican Sen
/ ators Butler of Nebraska and
Malone of Nevada, and Demo-
cratic Senator McCarran OF Ne
vada.
Must Act on Charges.
/ Although the House has passed
the bill, it must go back there
today for action on two minor
Senate changes, which the House
may accept without asking for
a conference. If it does, the bill
will go to the President Tor sig
nature.
A farm bloc attempt to throw
stronger tariff protection around
agriculture was beaten in the
Senate, So to %, when admins
tration leaders opposed it with
substantial Democratic help.
Senator Malone, leading op-
ponent of trade agreements. was
beaten by a voice vote IN an at
tempt to tack on as a rider MI
bill to give added protection tt
the domestic production of stfa'
tegic metals and minerals.
Battle Over Gore Move.
The only real battle was owe
The move by Senator Gore, Dem
ocrat, of Tennessee, to substitute
a more liberal tariff-cuttln'
formula for the next three
wears. His amendment followed
the recommendations of tn
Randall Commission, appointed
oy President Eisenhower last yea
to study the whole field OF tor
eign trade policy.
The one-year extension botl
houses have now approved woul'
authorize tariff cuts of not t
exceed so per cent in the Janu
airy, 1945 rates. but advocates O
a more liberal law contend mos
of the bargaining power in tn
, present act has been utilized /
!, existing trade agreements.
The Gore proposal would hav
permitted additional cuts OF
per cent below January, 1876
rates, to be made in three steE
e of per cent annually over
: three-year period.
:, President Else hover i
. March Endorsed the Randall re
port, which contained this sam
formula. But a month ago h
S agreed to go along with Senti
\ ment among Republican leader
i in Congress for a straight one
f year extension of the preSen
: daw.
Taunt Republicans.
Democratic Senators con
|, tinued yesterday to taunt Re
I publicans with the argumer
that they were offering what tn
t President really wanted br
n could not get from his ow
n party.
+ Senator Millikin. Republican
g of Colorado, in charge of tn
5. bill, replied by pointing to
presidential letter in May
= which he agreed Congre!
o should have more time to stud
s the Randall report and indorse
the one-year bill, expressing tt
hope a more comprehensive II
vision of trade policies woul
be enacted early next year.
Senator Mlllikin said a MOI
important reason for waitir
e until next year to adopt ne
, trade agreement policies is IL
p fact that the State Departmel
is in the midst of reviewing Il
o1 General Agreement on Tariff
m and Trade adopted by 80 nj
S. tions at Geneva in 1913 al
D. that Congress should have
D. chance to consider changes
Sc GAIT before deciding the f
rs ture scope of the Trade Agre
ments Act.
-. Agreement Ordered.
or The GAIT agreement was e
s. tered into by executive ord
ad and one of the amendmer
Senator Millikin accepted to t
n one-year extension bill declar
e that nothing in this bill Shi
NJ be construed as approval or di
~ approval of GAIT.
If The second amendment t
g Senate accepted was sponsor
II by Senators johnson of Colora
49, and Symington of Nilsson
" Democrats, to protect natior