Letter Accepting the Resignation of Henry P. Fletcher as Chairman of the United States Tariff Commission.

Note: Mr. Fletcher served as Chairman of the United States Tariff Commission from September 1930 until his resignation. His letter of resignation and a memorandum on the work of the Commission, both dated September 17, 1931, and released with the President's letter, follow:

Dear Mr. President:
I hereby tender my resignation as Chairman and Member of the United States Tariff Commission effective November 30 next.

I enclose a memorandum summarizing the work accomplished since the Commission was reorganized fourteen months ago. This memorandum shows that with one or two exceptions all the investigations requested by Senate or House Resolutions have been completed. The petroleum, copper, and vegetable oil investigations are in final form and will be submitted, as requested by the Resolutions, to the Congress when it assembles next month. The most important investigation now pending is that relating to raw and refined sugar which was recently ordered and which in the nature of the case may be protracted as growing as well as refining costs both at home and abroad are involved. Work on this and all other pending applications and investigations is proceeding as rapidly as circumstances permit.

The recent depreciation in exchange in a number of countries exporting to the United States has rendered our cost data, secured before these countries departed from the gold standard, inapplicable in view of the present instability of exchange values and negative reports were sometimes unavoidable in cases where the exchange factor entered. The facts gained in our investigations, however, are all assembled and can be utilized in case further investigation may become necessary.

The Commission has been completely reorganized and is, I believe, thoroughly equipped to perform its important functions.

It is a pleasure to express my appreciation of the loyal and efficient cooperation and support I have received from my colleagues on the Commission and from every member of its staff.
Faithfully yours,
HENRY P. FLETCHER

[The President, The White House]

Enclosure.

MEMORANDUM

WORK OF THE UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION

Since the Tariff Commission was reorganized, its work may be briefly summarized as follows:
By November 30, the effective date of the Chairman's resignation:
--39 separate rate investigations, covering a very large number of items, and different rates of duty, will have been completed and reported upon under Section 336 of the Tariff Act.
--11 important surveys (not involving rate changes) will also have been completed.
--Of the 9 investigations discontinued, 8 were dismissed by Senate Resolutions.
--5 applications were withdrawn by proponents.
--28 applications were dismissed by the Commission after careful preliminary investigation.
--Thus 92 cases will have been disposed of.

There remains on the Commission calendar 10 rate investigations and 1 survey, all in response to Senate Resolutions, and 8 rate investigations of other origin, making a total of 19 investigations and surveys in progress.

Twenty-one applications for investigations are on file, some of which may be granted and some denied, depending upon the facts developed by preliminary investigation by the Commission.

Thus the Commission has 40 investigations, surveys, and applications on its books compared with 92 disposed of since reorganization.

The Commission is, of course, engaged in other routine work assigned to it including the American Valuation study called for under Section 340 of the Tariff Act of 1930, investigations under Section 337, Surveys, etc.

The first seven of the following surveys have been completed and the reports published, while the last four are practically completed and reports are being prepared for submission to the Congress next month:

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

The following rate investigations (See. 336) have been completed.

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

Hearings have been held and reports are being prepared for submission to the president before November 30 in the following investigations:

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

Tomatoes in their natural state 4 S. Res. 414; application 7.
peppers in their natural state 46 S. Res. 414; application 6.
Peas, green or unripe 47 S. Res. 414.
Beans, snap or string, green or unripe 58 Application 82.
Lima beans 50 Application 32.
Eggplant in its natural state 48 Application 31.
Cucumbers in their natural state 49 Application 31.
Okra 51 Application 33.
Pineapples 41 S. Res. 397; applications 34
and 44.
Pens 39 S. Res. 360 and 438.
Window glass 20 S. Res. 313.
Crin vegetal, spanish moss, flax tow 54 S. Res. 468.
Cement 5 S. Res. 295.
Lumber and timber 19 S. Res. 313 and 321;
applications 38 and 5.
Gauge glass tubes 57 Application 79.
Crude feldspar 63 Application 90.
Boots and shoes 1 S. Res. 313 and 295.
Blown glass tableware 35 S. Res. 330; application 28.
Furniture of wood 2 S. Res. 295; application 2.

Another list of more than 30 applications have been carefully investigated by the Commission and applications either denied or dismissed without prejudice, or withdrawn by those who made the original applications. The following items appear on this list:

________________________________________________________________________________

Application
Denied and dismissed Number
_______________________________________________________________________

Withdraws........................................ Application Number
_______________________________________________________________________

The following is a list of investigations undertaken mostly in response to Senate Resolutions, which were rescinded and dismissed, before public hearings were held, largely in response to withdrawal of Senate Resolutions:

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

The following investigations called for by Senate Resolutions are under way at the present time, and in most cases the investigations are nearing completion. The investigations in progress are as follows:

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

Some of these, the Commission has been informed, will be dismissed by the Senate.
Other investigations in progress, based upon applications, include:

______________________________________________________________________

Investi- Resolution or
Commodity gation Application
No. No.
_______________________________________________________________________

Alsimin 55 43.
Candied fruit 61 62.
Flaxseed and linseed oil 62 17.
Sponges 64 92.
Mackerel, fresh, salted, etc 65 94, 95, 98, 99, 100, 101, 103,107
Sugar and molasses 66 94, 95, 98, 99, 100, 101, 103, 107.
Cherries, sulphured or in brine 59 Request of President.
Tomatoes, prepared or preserved 60 Do.

There remains on the calendar the following applications for investigation under the provisions of section 336 of the Tariff Act of 1930. These applications are receiving the usual preliminary study at the present time:

APPLICATIONS PENDING

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Commodity Application Number
______________________________________________________________________

Canvas rubber-soled footwear, waterproof 105
Rubber insulated wires and cables 106
Wooden and aluminum folding rules 112
Crude sperm oil 113
Ribbon fly catchers 114
Long staple cotton 117, 119, 120, 121
Upholsterers' nails, thumb tacks, chair glides 118
Bicycle chains 122
Antimony oxide; antimony regulus or metal 123