CONTENTS Hon. Edgar Bernard Brossard, of Utah, nominated to be a member of the United States Tariff Commission_. Hon. John Lee Coulter, of North Dakota, nominated to be a member of the United States Tariff Commission.... Hon. Alfred P. Dennis, of Maryland, nominated to be a member of the United States Tariff Commission Hon. Henry P. Fletcher, of Pennsylvania, nominated to be a member of the United States Tariff Commission.. A. Manuel Fox, chief of economic division, United States Tariff Com- CONFIRMATION OF MEMBERS OF UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1930 UNITED STATES SENATE, The committee met, pursuant to call of its chairman, at 10 o'clock a. m., in room 312, Senate Office Building, Senator Reed Smoot presiding. Present: Senators Smoot (chairman), Watson, Reed, Shortridge, Couzens, Greene, Deneen, Bingham, La Follette, Thomas of Idaho, Simmons, Harrison, King, George, Walsh of Massachusetts, Barkley, Thomas of Oklahoma, and Connally. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. We will proceed to an examination of the members of the United States Tariff Commission, and Mr. Henry P. Fletcher, of Pennsylvania, nominated for a term expiring June 16, 1936, will be the first witness. I should like to ask the members of the committee if they desire the witnesses sworn. Senator HARRISON. I do not see any reason why it should be done. The CHAIRMAN. All right. We can proceed in the usual way. Senator HARRISON. It is the chairman only who has suggested that they be sworn. The CHAIRMAN. I was merely asking the preference of the committee. Mr. FLETCHER. I am perfectly willing to be sworn. Senator HARRISON. No request has been made by anybody for the nominees to be sworn, except the chairman. The CHAIRMAN. And I merely asked an expression of the views of the committee. I did not want any question to be raised on the floor of the Senate. STATEMENT OF HON. HENRY P. FLETCHER, OF PENNSYLVANIA, NOMINATED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION The CHAIRMAN. You gentlemen may proceed. Senator REED. Mr. Fletcher, where were you born? Mr. FLETCHER. At Greencastle, Pa. Senator REED. When? Mr. FLETCHER. 1873, April 10. Senator REED. What has been your work since you became of age? Mr. FLETCHER. I graduated from Chambersburg Academy and prepared for Princeton. Not having sufficient money to go to Princeton I became a stenographer and studied law. I was the court reporter of the Franklin County courts when about 18 and was admitted to the bar when I was 21. I practiced law until 1898 when I joined Roosevelt's Rough Riders as a private-and I came out as a private. I then went back to the practice of law in Pennsylvania and stayed there, where I was practicing with my uncle, Judge Rowe Senator WATSON (interposing). Did you say that you came out as a private? Mr. FLETCHER. I did, and with typhoid fever. Senator WATSON. Well, you are the only one I ever heard of who did come out as a private. Mr. FLETCHER. Î came down to see Mr. Roosevelt after he became President-and I do not know whether this will amuse you or not, but he said, "Well, Fletcher, what do you want?" I said, “Mr. President, I don't want anything." He said, "The rest of them are all in office or in jail." As a matter of fact, to be serious about it, I went to the Philippines as first lieutenant in the Fortieth Infantry and served there two years. I then came back home and assumed my place in the firm as a very junior partner. I then was appointed second secretary to the legation in Cuba by Mr. Roosevelt in 1902 at $1,500 a year. From there I went to China as second secretary. From there I went to Portugal, and from there back to China as first secretary and was in charge for a year. After Mr. Rockhill was sent to Turkey, or to Russia, and I have forgotten which, I was made minister to Chile by Mr. Taft. Then when Mr. Wilson came in and the legation was raised to an embassy, I was made ambassador to Chile. From there I was transferred to Mexico. I remained in Mexico until after the war, when I resigned. I was out of the service for a year, and then Mr. Harding asked me to become Undersecretary of State, which I did. I served there for a year and was then made ambassador to Belgium, and from Belgium I was transferred to Italy, where I served five years and resigned last year. That, I think, is as nearly as I can remember it my experience. Senator REED. Have you ever taken an active part in any agitation with regard to the tariff? Mr. FLETCHER. No, sir. Senator REED. Have you done any lobbying on tariff matters? Senator REED. That is all. Senator SIMMONS. Have you made any study of the tariff? Senator HARRISON. Mr. Fletcher, have you been active in politics in Pennsylvania? Mr. FLETCHER. Well, I have hardly had time to be, Senator Harrison. I have been away from there a great deal. I have taken an interest in politics to a certain extent, as we all do, but that is about all. Senator HARRISON. Well, of course, they are divided up there in Pennsylvania within the Republican Party. I take it that you are a Republican? Mr. FLETCHER. Yes, sir. Senator HARRISON. They are divided into various groups and factions up there in Pennsylvania. Mr. FLETCHER. Yes. Senator REED. There is nothing like that in Mississippi, Senator Harrison, is there? Senator HARRISON. Oh, no. Everything is unanimous down there. Mr. Fletcher, there are some groups and factions no doubt that were formed while you were serving the country in the various places that you have named. Mr. FLETCHER. Yes. Senator HARRISON. When you were in Pennsylvania as to what connection you did have with politics, what particular faction have you been associated with? Mr. FLETCHER. I have not been associated with any of them. Mr. FLETCHER. In my time there were not very many factions. It was Mr. Quay and Mr. Penrose who ran it. Senator HARRISON. Then you belonged to Mr. Quay's and Mr. Penrose's crowd? Mr. FLETCHER. Not exactly. I secured their support for the job of second secretary in Cuba. Mr. Roosevelt said he would appoint me if I could get the Senators to endorse me. I asked them to do it, and that was the last time I asked anybody, except Senator Reed when I wanted to be transferred from Brussels to Rome. I then asked him if he would say a good word in that connection, and he did, and also I believe Senator Pepper. I think that is about all. Senator HARRISON. Then you did not feel that you were one of the cogs in the Penrose-Quay machine? Mr. FLETCHER. No; I did not have that feeling exactly. Mr. FLETCHER. Well, I have only met Mr. Grundy about three times in my whole life. Senator HARRISON. He never solicited you for campaign funds? Mr. FLETCHER. He never did, not that I know of. He might have as secretary of the committee, but if so I don't remember it. I never have had very much money to contribute to campaigns. Senator HARRISON. Maybe that is the reason he did not call on you. He was after bigger fish. Mr. FLETCHER. Maybe so. Senator HARRISON. Did you contribute to any of the campaigns up there? Mr. FLETCHER. Yes; to the national campaigns, but not to the State campaigns. Senator HARRISON. Not to the State campaigns? Mr. FLETCHER. No. Senator HARRISON. You have contributed pretty well for a number of years, have you not? Mr. FLETCHER. No. I think it was about $500 or $1,000, but I never gave more than $1,000 in any campaign. Senator HARRISON. And not to the State campaign? |