More Compromise

In the House last week arose many a member to debate legislation entitled H. R. 2667: a BILL to provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States and for other purposes. By Representative Willis C. Hawley. This was the Tariff Bill, now officially before the House. But behind the debate was no conviction, no electrifying enthusiasm. The debaters well knew that their words beat empty air, that the real fate of this measure was being settled elsewhere.

Ways & Means. In a back-room political conference, the G. O. P. members of the House Ways & Means Committee met the revolt against the Tariff Bill by holding additional secret hearings last week. Before them appeared Congressmen from farm states to state the price (i.e., upward revision on pet commodities) they would demand to support the measure on the House floor. Patiently the committee heard them ask for greater duties on casein, canned tomatoes, potatoes, live cattle, hides, blackstrap, dairy products et al.

The purpose of these hearings was to evolve a common political denominator on which sufficient Republican strength could be massed to insure the farm bill against serious revision on the House floor. The committee was ready to compromise, to grant increased agricultural rates to win solid party support for the bill as a whole against all Democratic amendments.

Hoover Increases. President Hoover sought to ease the tension by exercising the flexible provision of the present tariff law and raising the duty on three farm commodities. He raised: 1) Milk from 2 1/2 cents to 3 3/4 cents per gallon (the new bill--5 cents per gallon); 2) Cream from 20 cents to 30 cents per gallon (the new bill--48 cents per gallon); 3) Flaxseed from 40 cents to 56 cents per bushel (the new bill--56 cents per bushel). At the same time, not for the benefit of the farmer, President Hoover made increases in the duty on window glass varying from 5/8 cent to 1 1/2 cents per pound.

These presidential actions were based on recommendations by the Tariff Commission. Statistics were offered to show that in each case foreign production costs were less than U. S. costs. The President said: "The farmers and others should have the benefit of the Tariff Commission's determination at once."

Great was the psychological effect of these increases at the Capitol.

Senate on Sugar. In 1924 the Tariff Commission made an investigation of sugar, prepared a report recommending tariff changes, submitted it to President Coolidge. This report, at the time, was supposed to favor a substantial reduction of the sugar duty. A candidate for reelection, President Coolidge pigeonholed the report, delayed action. After he was elected, he refused to make any cut.

Last week the Senate adopted a resolution by Senator Walsh (Massachusetts) calling upon the Tariff Commission to submit to it a copy of this sugar report. Utah's Senator Smoot, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, great and good friend of the domestic beet sugar industry, declared that "nobody except the President has a right to see" this report, which may be a major influence in the forthcoming sugar tariff battle.

Senate Bachelors. Last week the prospect was that the House would pass the Tariff Bill before June 1 and then recess until about August 1; that the Senate would recess until July 1, while its Finance Committee overhauls the House's measure. The certainty of a tiresome summer session prompted five Republican senators to rent the Walter Tuckerman country home near Bethesda, Md., there to establish bachelor-hall after despatching their families to cooler climates. The Senators were :

New Hampshire's Moses, New Jersey's Edge, Pennsylvania's Reed, Connecticut's Bingham & Walcott.