TARIFF CHANGES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 171, 15 April 1933, Page 11

TARIFF CHANGES

Roosevelt Seeks Power RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE “Dictatorial” Authority PLANS FOR DISCUSSION / ißy Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received April 14, 11.5 p.m.) New York, April 13. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Tinies” says that President Roosevelt’s request for the broadest possible authority in negotiating international trade agreements, similar in character to the "dictatorial” powers ho has used in meeting the domestic emergency, will be sent to Congress in the next, few days. The major outline of tlie measure has been completed and the details are expected io be sufficiently agreed on for tn® President to write a special message to Congress. Tariff experts, Congressional leaders, and State and Commerce Department officials have all been busy on the project which President Roosevelt desires enacted before the representatives of forty-two nations gather here for discussions preliminary to the general economic conference. The President, under the Bill- will seek the following powers:— (1) Sole authority to change the existing tariff rate’s by executive proclamation, subject only to submitting the changes in the report to Congress. (2) Power to negotiate a multilateral treaty at the World Economic Conference whereby all tariff duties would lie decreased horizontally. (3) Authority to make bi-lateral agreements for reductions beyond the multi-lateral horizontal reductions to the maximum of 50 per cent, permitted under the flexible provisions of the present Tariff Act. (4) Authority to enunciate a policy of “bargaining” with other nations in adjusting tariff rates as well as the “difference in the cost of production” followed under the present Tariff Act. If a way can be found around the constitutional inhibitions involved the framers of the Bill will probably include in 'the measure authority for the President to effect even greater than the 50 per cent, reductions prescribed in the present law„ or to transfer articles from the dutiable list to the free list and vice versa. The principle question involved is, hoW far Congress can go in delegating authority to the President to change the tariff rates without denying its own constitutional mandate to fix rates for the Government’s revenue? One of the other outstanding difficulties is the President’s campaign pledge that he would not lower agricultural tariffs. State Department experts found this an embarrassing complication, particularly relating to the possible trade agreements with Argentina and Canada, which are interested primarily in lowering the rates on primary products.