Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
Bicycle Tariff
Boosted 50 Pei.
By Eisenhower
BY GARRETT d. HORNER
Star stan Correspondent


By GARRETT D. HORNER
Star stan Correspondent
FRASER. Colo. Aug. H.
President Eisenhower today took
a brief time out from his vaca-
ton in this horse and cattle
country to order a so per cent
increase in the tariff on foreign
bicycles. +
The tariff rise, ordered to help
avert serious injury" to Ameri-
can manufacturers threatened
by startling growth in bicycle
imports during the last few
years. may add dollar or two
to the cost of the foreign bikes.
But 1t appeared of little con-
Germ to the Presidents star
guest at his vacation retreat
here--his 7-year-old grandson,
David.
David appeared more inter-
ested in riding horses than BIZ
cycles-or even in fishing for
rainbow trout. one of his grand
fathers favorite sports. i
Tries Other Pursuits
The youngster caught a couple
OF nice rainbow in first hour of
fly casting Wednesday. Then
he decided it was more fun tot
60 horsebacg riding. He took
another ride yesterday, tossed al
Softball awhile and emulated his
famous grandfather by hitting
some golf balls in the pasture
of Aksel Nielsen's ranch. But
he didn't bother trying for more
fish. His clubs we're a junior
sized set given in 1858 as a.
Christmas present from Bobby
Jones.
MIR. Eisenhower was ready to-
try to remedy that situation to-
day. He invited newsmen and
photographers onto the ranch
property for the first time during
his current visit. They wereI
promised an opportunity to see
and picture the President and his
grandson fishing together.
Fishing luck wasn't so good for
the President himself yesterday. |
He caught only one trout in more
than three hours Of casting in
the tumbling water of st. Louis
Creek. Mr.. Nielsen, Denver
banker and host to the Essen
hover party, caught another.
This was discouraging after the
two men together hooked Is
trout the day before.
Mr.. Eisenhower found solace
IN other Notwithstanding all the
meals for his party. practicing
golf shots, trying his hand at
target shooting with a 30 pis-
toll, and painting.
Paints Mountain Peaks
For a couple of hours yester-
day, he sat in the living room
OF a modern new house Mr.. Neil
sen erected this summer for his
comfort, and sought to capture
on canvas the rugged beauty of
snow-spotted Rocky Mountain
peaks as seen through a big
picture window.
The President announced his
bicycle tariff decision in letters
sent to Chairman Byrd of the
Senate Finance Committee and
Chairman cooper of the Hours
Ways and Means Committee.
While his action should
strengthen the position OF the
domestic bike industry, he said
its real hope for the future"
lies in improving its technology
OF appeal to consumer tastes"
AS an encouraging sign. he cited
recent development of "a mid /
dleweight" bicycle to compete
with foreign lightweights.
He overruled a tariff commits /.
sion recommendation by order |
ing only so per cent increase
In the tariff on large wheel light 1
weight bikes-those with wheel
olameters over Is inches that
weigh less than 36 pounds.
His order raises the tariff on
these lghtweights from ia per
cent to llA per cent, instead of
10 2212 per cent as recommended /
by 4-to-1 vote of the Tariff
commission. He followed the
commission recommendation in
raising the tariff on all other
types of imported bicycles to
221a per cent fro mthe existing
Is per cent rate.
Big Jump in Imports
Mr.. Eisenhower concurred in
a commission finding that the
domestic bicycle industry is
threatened with serious injury
by foreign imports that have /
increased from less than 20 600 |
In 1947-59 to 1853 900 in 1854 and /
an estimated 1.250,00O this year. |
But. he emphasized, he had /.
10 consider such other factors
as the need for protecting Amer \
lean consumers against uniusti- |
neo price rises, for preserving
the economic strength of valued /.
allies. and for building export
markets for Americas own
products.
He said his action still will /.
leave producers in friendly for /
eigr lands AN excellent COM 1
petitive chance to share hand 4
somely in our large and growing
market for bicycles"
Il would like to emphasize that /
this Nations firmly rooted policy
of seeking eVer-expanding levels
of international trade and in
vestment is in no respect altered
by this decision" Mr.. Eisenhower
added.
He acted under escape clause"
provisions of reciprocity trade /
treaties that has cut bicycle traf- 4
fic previously.
N..