THE ROLL CALL
The Roll Call ON MEN AND MEASURES SENATE MAJORITY OVERRIDES RAYON CONSUMERS HOW small the consumer's chances of victory are whenever his interests are opposed by politically-influential...
...Srhall, Minn...
...Democrat, and Waterman, Colo., and McCulloch, Ohio...
...Tydlngd, Md...
...Wagner, N. Y. Walsh, Mass...
...They did not, explain how...
...Senator Wheeler—who led the fight for a reduction of these exorbitant, rates—said in the course of a smashing attack upon the schedule as drafted by the committee...
...La Follette, Wis...
...In reply to the assertion that working men would be benefited...
...Watson, Ind...
...In special circumstances higher rates would apply, and the total effect of those supplementary clauses would amount all the way from 70 to 112 per cent of any rayon still imported...
...Overman, N. C. Ransdcll, La...
...Vandenbrrg, Mich...
...and the other manufacturers of rayon in the United States...
...Smoot, Utah Stfiwer, Ore...
...S. D. Norheck, S. D. Norris, Nebr, Nye, N. D. Sterk...
...Democrats Harrison, Miss...
...union representatives have been driven out of town...
...Dill, Wash...
...Thomas, Idaho Tnwnsend, Dela...
...MrKcIIar, Tenn...
...Kendriek, Wyo...
...but the question involved is, Are we going to let the rayon manufacturers who have been making tremendous profits lo further burden the American consuming public, or are we going to give them a rate which is justified, which is honest, and which will fully protect them, and more than protect them in view of the differences of, cost of production at home and abroad...
...vote...
...Republicans Frazier, N. D. Howell, Nehr...
...The rejoinder of other southern senators was that some day, somehow, it might become possible to divert a part of the profit from the linters back to the farmer...
...And yet, as Senntor Wheeler demonstrated by calling attention to the great profits earned by the rayon concerns—many of which are foreign owned, the manufacturers of rayon would continue to earn handsome profits even without the additional subsidy now given to them...
...AGAINST THK AMENDMENT Bingham, Conn...
...Democrats Fletcher, Flu...
...Shcnpard, Texas Smith, S. C. Farmer-Labor Shipstead, Minn...
...The Roll Call ON MEN AND MEASURES SENATE MAJORITY OVERRIDES RAYON CONSUMERS HOW small the consumer's chances of victory are whenever his interests are opposed by politically-influential manufacturers was driven home again last week by the senate's votes on the rayon duties...
...MrMaaier...
...The theoretical gain to farmers stressed by the pro-rayon argument depends upon the use of cotton linters—the short fibers which adhere to the cotton seed after it has been ginned—by the rayon industry, most of which makes use,of the alternative viscose, or wood, process...
...Gould, Maine Greene...
...Meantime, every farmer's wife who uses rayon cloth in any form will be paying an additional tax...
...Hale, Maine Brock...
...Shortridge...
...Bratton, X. Mcx...
...Goff, W. Va...
...was defeated, 52 to 23...
...Barkley, Ky...
...Patterson...
...Bronssard, La...
...Then Senator Simmons, who had previously voted for the high duties on rayon, submitted a compromise amendment fixing the ad valorem rate at 40 per cent...
...TO COMBAT these arguments, the defense leaders for the rayon industry fell back upon their reserve tactics—upon pleas that exorbitant rates of duty would benefit American laborers and American farmers...
...Finally, Senator Fletcher offered n third amendment, to strike out the 45 cent minimum, thus leaving lhe duly at 45 per cent on Its imported value, and this, too, was defeated, by a vote of 48 to 26...
...Hrflin...
...Cotton farmers produce cotton, and the profit from the linters—Senator Smith pointed out—goes to the dealer in cotton seed and the manufacturer of jotton seed products...
...The position of the opponents of the increase was stated by Senator Wheeler when he said: I am not unmindful of the pressure and the economic power of the Du Pont people, nor am I unmindful of the power of the American Viscose Co...
...Goldsborough, Md...
...The weakness of this contention was exposed by Senator Smith, who told his colleagues that "no farmer in the world . . . ever produced a bale of linters...
...Hatfield, W. Va...
...The increase, he emphasized, will affect the household budget of every family, for rayon has come into use so widely that it is now virtually a necessity...
...Trammell...
...Borah, Idaho Capper, Kans...
...Metoalf, R, I. Moses, N. H. Oridie, Nrv...
...Calif...
...fowa Thomas...
...Republicans, been prisrnt, they would also have voted against the amendment...
...Fess, Ohio Gillett, Mass...
...Harris, Ga...
...Colo...
...Okla...
...tValcott, Conn...
...Republicans Hastings, Dela...
...Sullivan, Wyo...
...Tenn...
...This was rejected, 37 to 34...
...Walsh, Mont...
...Misleading as these appeals had been on earlier schedules, they were even more so in the case of rayon...
...Jones, Wash...
...I am not unmindful of their power both industrially and politically, and I know that it is difficult to stand up here and vote for a lower duty when a manufacturer in a given slate Is asking his representatives in the senate and the house to vote for a higher duty— when he sends an appeal to them and causes the little chamber of commerce in the community where he lives tc appeal likewise to them...
...Starvation wages, compelling women to neglect their children in order to work with their husbands in the factories so that the family income would be large enough to keep body and soul together, are all too characteristic of the industry, this evidence showed...
...Swanson...
...The rates .submitted by the finance committee—constituting a considerable increase over the existing duties—provide for a duty of at least 45 per cent ad valorem on rayon yarns, and nn absolute minimum in any case of 45 cents a pound...
...N. H. McNary, Ore...
...Simmons, N. C. Robsion, Ky...
...Glenn...
...Black, Ala...
...Senator Wheeler refreshed the memories of the Senate concerning evidence submitted to the senate committee on manufactures, showing that the labor policy of many of the rayon manufacturers is atrocious to an extreme...
...Wheeler, Mont...
...It was announced that had Senators George, Ga...
...C'onnally, Texas Copeland, N. Y. Glass, Va...
...No definite announcement was made concerning the position of the other 18 senators who did not...
...On three successive roll calls, a majority of the senate refused to moderate the excessive protection granted to the rayon industry by the senate finance committee...
...Brookhart, Iowa Couiens, Mich...
...Thipps...
...The roll call on the Wheeler amendment follows: FOR THE AMENDMENT Blaine, Wis...
...Senator Wheeler described the proposed rayon duties as 'more outrageous by far than the tariff placed on any other commodity...
...Almost uniformly the industry has fought bitterly against the unionization of its workers and in some cases—notably at Elizabethton, Tenn...
...THK amendment offered by Senator Wheeler would have eliminated the minimum guarantee of 45 cents a ]XHind, and would have limited the tariff protection to an ad valorem rate of 35 per cent...
...Greater expenditures for clothing and for a vast range of household furnishings may be expected to follow in the wake of the increased duties when the pending bill is enacted into law...
...Grundy, Pa...
...Kean, N. J. Keyes...
...Robinson, Ind...
Vol. 1 • February 1930 • No. 10
