Proclamation 2044—Decreasing Rates of Duty on Agricultural Hand Tools and Parts Thereof

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Whereas under and by virtue of section 336 of Title III, Part II, of the act of Congress approved June 17, 1930 (46 Stat. 590, 701), entitled "AN ACT To provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, to protect American labor, and for other purposes," the United States Tariff Commission has investigated the differences in costs of production of, and all other facts and conditions enumerated in said section with respect to, shovels, spades, scoops, forks, hoes, rakes, scythes, sickles, grass hooks, corn knives, and drainage tools, all the foregoing if agricultural hand tools, and parts thereof, composed wholly or in chief value of metal, whether partly or wholly manufactured, being wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of and with respect to like or similar articles wholly or in part the growth or product of the principal competing country; Whereas in the course of said investigation a hearing was held, of which reasonable public notice was given and at which parties interested were given reasonable opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard; Whereas the commission has reported to the President the results of said investigation and its findings with respect to such differences in costs of production; Whereas the commission has found it shown by said investigation that the principal competing country is Germany, and that the duties expressly fixed by statute do not equalize the differences in the costs of production of the domestic articles and the like or similar foreign articles when produced in said principal competing country, and has specified in its report the decreases in the rates of duty expressly fixed by statute found by the commission to be shown by said investigation to be necessary to equalize such differences; and

Whereas in the judgment of the President such rates of duty are shown by such investigation of the Tariff Commission to be necessary to equalize such differences in costs of production;

Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby approve and proclaim the following rates of duty found to be shown by said investigation to be necessary (within the limit of total decrease provided for in said act) to equalize such differences in costs of production:

A decrease in the rate of duty expressly fixed in paragraph 373 of Title I of said act on forks, hoes, and rakes, all the foregoing if agricultural hand tools, and parts thereof, composed wholly or in chief value of metal, whether partly or wholly manufactured, from 30 per centum ad valorem to 15 per centum ad valorem;

A decrease in the rates of duty expressly fixed in paragraph 355 of Title I of said act on hay forks and 4-tined manure forks, all the foregoing, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for, with handles of any material other than those specifically mentioned in paragraph 355, if 4 inches in length or over, exclusive of handle, from 8 cents each and 45 per centum ad valorem to 4 cents each and 22-% per centum ad valorem; and

A decrease in the rates of duty expressly fixed in paragraph 355 of Title I of said act on hay forks and 4-tined manure forks, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for, any of the foregoing without handles, with blades 6 inches or more in length, from 8 cents each and 45 per centum ad valorem to 4 cents each and 22-½ per centum ad valorem.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this third day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and thirty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and fifty-seventh.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

By the President:
CORDELL HULL
Secretary of State.