Proclamation—Wheat and Wheat Products

Whereas, in and by Section 315 (a) of Title III of the Act of Congress approved September 21, 1922, entitled "An Act to provide revenue, to regulate commerce with foreign countries, to encourage the industries of the United States, and for other purposes," it is among other things provided that whenever the President, upon investigation of the differences in costs of production of articles wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of like or similar articles wholly or in part, the growth or product of competing foreign countries, shall find it thereby shown that the duties fixed in this Act do not equalize the said differences in costs of production in the United States and the principal competing country he shall, by such investigation, ascertain said differences and determine and proclaim the changes in classifications or increases or decreases in rates of duty provided in said Act shown by said ascertained differences in such costs of production necessary to equalize the same;

Whereas, in and by Section 315 (c) of said Act it is further provided that in ascertaining the differences in costs of production, under the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) of said section, the President, in so far as he finds it practicable, shall take into consideration (1) the differences in conditions in production, including wages, costs of material, and other items in costs of production of such or similar articles in the United States and in competing foreign countries; (2) the differences in the wholesale selling prices of domestic and foreign articles in the principal markets of the United States; (3) advantages granted to a foreign producer by a foreign government, or by a person, partnership, corporation, or association in a foreign country; and (4) any other advantages or disadvantages in competition;

Whereas, under and by virtue of said section of said Act the United States Tariff Commission has made an investigation to assist the President in ascertaining differences in costs of production of, and of all other facts and conditions enumerated in said section with respect to the articles described in paragraphs 729 and 730 of Title I of said Tariff Act of 1922, namely, wheat, wheat flour, semolina, crushed and cracked wheat, and similar wheat products not specially provided for, bran, shorts and by-product feeds obtained in milling wheat, 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 competing foreign countries;

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 a reasonable opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard;

And, whereas, the President upon said investigation of said differences in costs of production of said article wholly or in part the growth or product of the United States and of like or similar articles wholly or in part the growth or product of competing foreign countries, has thereby found that the principal competing country is the Dominion of Canada and that the duties fixed in said Title and Act do not equalize the differences in costs of production in the United States and in said principal competing country, namely, Canada, and has ascertained and determined the increased and decreased rates of duty, respectively, necessary to equalize the same.

Now, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, 1 do hereby determine and proclaim that the increases and decreases in the rates of duty provided in said Act shown by said ascertained differences in said costs of production necessary to equalize the same, are as follows:

An increase in said duty on wheat from 30 cents per bushel of sixty pounds to 42 cents per bushel of sixty pounds;

An increase in said duty on wheat flour, semolina, crushed or cracked wheat, and similar wheat products not specially provided for from 78 cents per hundred pounds to $1.04 per hundred pounds;

A decrease in said duty on bran, shorts, and by-product feeds obtained in milling wheat (within the limit of total decrease provided for in said Act) from 15 per centum ad valorem to 7½ 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 seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-eighth.

CALVIN COOLIDGE

By the President:
CHARLES E. HUGHES, Secretary of State.