The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-09-10
WOULD EDUCATE
THE PUBLIC IN
TREATY-MAKING
National Foreign Trade Council
Reports on Business after
the War.

f
today a report on the probable effects
Of European economic alliances upon
United States commerce., pointing out,
among other things. that one great
need OF the near future Will be tho
education OF tho American public in
tlN Importance of treaty making
power.
More trcaty-muklng." says the re-
port, will be in progress In the five
years after the declaration Of peace
than in any similar period of tho
worlds history. Many treaties be-
tween the United States aud Euro
pcnn governments are ancient with
obsolete phrascology. Even with no
/ European disposition TO discriminate
against the United Statesl certain
changes will be inevitable. This rcnd-
ers highly important the United
hlatcss treaty-making power.
Education Imperative.
THE state department now lacks,
but should Immediately provide
skilled resources for the study or the
entire tlcnty situation. The education
OF American public opinion to treaty
legislation IL imperative. Their parliu-
mcntary system gives European gov
ernmcnts a superior efficiency in
ircaty-making MS compared with tho
United States The history OF COM
merclal treaties is marked by fraquCu;
senatorial disregard OF recommends
tons Of the state department. The
necessity of two-thirds Senate vote
for raudcation requires that treaties
hereafter he so drawn MS to command
general approval, difficult task which
can be accomplished only by the most
careful consultation Of public opinion
prior TO negotiation, the most skillful
handling OF the American case In tho
diplomatic exchanges, and convincing
presentation Of tho facts IN order TO
command sentiment In favor Of rati-
ileation and maintenance of the treaty
afterwaTd'
While some authorities contend"
says the report. that the commercial
preferences implied In the Paris reso-
lutions OF the entente allies are i'm
practical and will flntten under pres
sure OF tho dependence OF European
nations upon each other, including
tholr enemies, the present fact is that
two economic alliances have already
been created for tho war ahrogated
| the most-favured- relation be-
tween the powers now enemies. The
Paris resolutions declare the allies
agrce that the benefits OF mpst-favor-
ed-nation treatment will not he grant
cd enemy powers during number
Of years. How far will war after
war obtain?
May Affect Prosperity.
Investigation reveals that tho
United States In the last normal year
before the war. 1913, sent 1851 per
cent Of its exports to the bolIlgerent
countries and derived 1888 per cent
Of It's imports from them. Therefore
any sweeping change Of tariff, naviga-
tlon or financial policy OF either group
OF allies may seriously affect the pros
perity OF the United States in which
foreign trade is vital element.
THE foreign trade Of the United
States for century has Increased in
world Of relaxing trade restrictions.
II the members OF either the allies or
tho central economic alliance seek by
differential tariffs to prefer each other
and their respective colonies a dis
elimination against tho products OF
tho United States will automatically
be created. II special shipping ar
rangements are carried so far MS arti-
fcially to create lower freight rates
for allies than for neutral commerce,
the parity Of ocean freight charges
TO and from American ports as com
pared with to and from European
ports, which has been one cause OF
liberation of American dependence
upon foreign carriers Will be dis
turbed. Whatever may be the result
of the Paris resolutions, manufacture
ing enterprise in the Allied countries
look forward to preferential advan-
tages in those countries which have
shared the burdens Of war"
Asking whether either the entente,
or the central economic alliance, par.
ticularly II the United Kingdom adopts
either revenue or protective tariff,
nation treatment to the United States
or will demand exclusive concessions
under the American tariff as the price
Of favorable admission OF American
products to their markets, the report
says Appreciation Of the necessity
Of retaliatory weapons II the great
Industrial nations should embark upon
policy OF trade preferences and dis
ordinations is indicated in recent
American legislation"
Discussing the pledge Of the entente
allies at the June Paris economic con-
ference to effect special agreements
for the interchange Of raw materials
and to conserve their use to the allies
before all other countries. the report
says:
Policy Of the Allies.
THE self-suflciency of the allied
group is the logical goal of this agree
ment precisely as British imperial
self-sufficiency was the goal Of the
Chamberlain policy. Leaving aside the
problems Of whether the United King
dom will consent to tax on food,
the question is whether such policy
adopted by all the allied group would
deprive the United States of any Of
its present outlet for foodstufEs or
raw materials. The united colonial
and Russian production OF foodstufis
and raw materials was not equal to
the ante-bellum necessities of the