Controversial Bill Before U.S, Congress

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1947, Page 5

Controversial Bill Before U.S, Congress

Press Assn.

By Telearaph

■>Copytight

Received Fridav, 7.0 p.m. WASHJNGTON, May 22. The House of Representatives' .de bate on the controversial Woof BiII,: today mushroomed into a broadside attack by leading Republicans againsl cbncessions reported to1 be made or conteinplated by the Arnerican delegation at the Geneva Trade Conferenee, Even before the debate opened Mr, Knutson (Republican, Minnesota), chairman o s the powerful House ways and mean? coinmittee which has jurisdietion ovet tariff legislation, stated that congres sional conlidenee in the Arnerican dele gatiorts headed by .the Under-Secretarj of State, JMr. William Clayton, \va> "wearing" and announced the decisioi; of the Jive man commlttee to "aii • thoroughly" the deeisions thusfa. reached at Geneva. Mr.' Knutson speci iically eharged that Mr. Clayton, wh« recently returned from Geneva ii alarm, it is reported, over the pending wool legislation, was prepared to saSri lice the .entire Arnerican wool indnstry "as- .the yery delinite and cfear eut price of ^liipping a few autcfmobiles to Aiistralia. " ■ Mr. KniitSon expressed fhe opiniqr that' Congress would never perrnit aity such step and in this opihion he was supported by the Ilouse leader, Mr Clrarles Halleck (Republican, indiana, .'who asserted that it Was "unthink able. " Alr. Knutson said: "All the Geneva conferees should be on notice that thiCongress is in no niood to llestroy om (lomestic indnstry so that anolhei might ship surpluses abroad. Counlnu conlemplating trade agreements witn L'nited States should knovv that tiii Congress will not liesitale quiekly ti repair any dainage to vital domestic ii. dustries resulting from the over enthu siasrn of our negotiators." Mr, Knutson said there was littl doubt that the Geneva conferenee wa languishing and reliahle infonnatioi pointed to several reasons for it, ot which the priitcipal oue probably wathat United Htates had virtualiy e.\ hausted its bargaiinng powers aud other nations were not too interested in wluit L'nited States had to oll'er. Mr. McCormick (Denioerat, Alassa^ chusetts) toid the House that Bresideii! Truman would veto the Wool Bill it Congress passed it in its present torin Mr.- McCormick read a letter from Mr Clayton in which he protested that h» had not been given the opportunity ti testify against the measure and declared that there were fundamental objec tions against the measure and if emacted, Hniled States would "stand convicted of insineerity. " Mr. Clayton pointed out that wool exports were lue niost important. source of doilars from Austratia, New Zealand aud Soutli Africa, which they need so badly anu declared: "Wool is a critical Ltera in our current negotiations. " Mr. Clayton 's letter was counterert by Mr, Danial Reed (Republican, Xew York), a member of the ways and mearis coinmittee, 'ivho said Mr! C'lay> ton was "fronting for Great Britan. which wants to anload British wouf lier6. ' ' Mr. Oiifford Hope (Republican, chaii rnan of tlie- House agriculture committee) said: "The position of tln Bdtish Government is a bit mconsist ent. They increased the tariif on eol ton 50 per cent only last month. " - Mr. Clayton 's letter Warned Congres: that it was risking refusal bv tlu whole British Commonvvealth to co operate in the proposed internatioHia uade organisation if it persisled ir. pushing .through the Bill designed ti insulate the Arnerican wool industry against foreign competition. Ile de clared that if new tariif barriers wen ifitposed " We cannot expeet "Australie New Zealand and South Africa to co operate wholeheaitedJy in meeting tlu type of postwar world we want to have and ivithout such cooperation othe British Contmonwoalth nations woulc liaVe diilieulty in d ealing with us in a uiutualjy advantageous programme. ' ' R.euter's Waslu!igtoh«.. cqrrespqnden Said tpday's prdceedihgft 'marked. tlu beginning of open .warfa,rh bet-iyepn tlu 'Ib'drnah adniinisti'atioii arid Cofigress on the tariff issue, witli the fate of the current iiiternatiohal trade conferenee poSsibly dependiitg on its outeome. Mr. Knutson 's utteranee was a virtual no cbhfidenee statetnent on Mr. Clayton V work at Geneva. The Bill before the House enipowers ihe President to impose a 50 per cent ad yalorem inipqrt fee on foreign wool if it should . ukdersell domestic wool. Buch a fee would be additional to tlu existing duty of ,34 cent s a lb.