New-York tribune., 1918-07-15
Lord Cecil Says Ma
tions Have M a d e
Compact of Eco
no1nic Defence
Germany's Status
Rests With Wilson
Enemies Will Not Be
M embers While
Under Present
Rulers

LONDON, July a. An economic as
sociaticn of twenty-four nations COM
prising the Entente Allies already is in
existence, declared Lord Robert Cecil,
Foreign Affairs and Minister of Block
ade, in a comprehensive statement re-
garding the worlds trade after the war.
Whether Germany eventually shall be
admitted to this economic association.
declared the British Minister, will be
determined by the test established by
President Wilson, when the President
said on December that if the German
over "contnue to be obliged TO live
under ambitious and intriguing masters
interested to disturb the peace of the
world" it might be impossible to admit
them 60 the partnership of the nations
or to free economic intercourse
Lord Robert described this statement
by the President as a definition of the
qualifications for membership in the as
sociation of nations, and added: "To
these declarations we give our warmcst
assent"
Germans Beyond Pale
Corrn II, IS the one obstacle to this
economic sociation os nations, said
Lold Rote 1.-THE Germany described
by President Wilson--a Germany Iiv-
ing under ambitious and intriguing
masters.
"Germany's economic policy toward
ell the groups Of people from the Arc
tic Ocean to tho Black Sea-" he con-
tinued, "is absolutely contrary to our
principles. E rnomc independence and
free choice are lhe last things which
Germany will ever allow to the peoples
within her reach.
$50 long as tlis is the policy Of Ger
many, how can We admit her to mem
bership in the free association of ma
tions TO which we already belong?"
asked Lord Robert Before we can
offer her cny participation in our re-
sources we must reiease her victims
ilom the economic slavery that she is
imposing upon them"
Quotes Wilson's Words
With regard to the economic prin-
ciples Of this association of nations,
Lord Robert said President Wilson had
en- January 8 "stated them in memoir
able words when he advocated the re-
moval, so far as possible, of all eco
nomic barriers and the establishment
Of an equality of trade among the ma
tions consenting to peace and associa-
ting themselves for it's maintenance"
"After giving warmest assent" to
these declarations of the President,
Lord Robert added:
but do these declarations necessar-
lily mean that we, the association Of ma
tions, are to have no protective tariffs
in international competition in trade
after the war? No Every one is
agreed to that. In the words of the
programme of the InterAllied Labor
Conference, the right of each nation
to the defence of its own economic in
terests and to the conservation of a
suf1iciency of foodstutfs and materials
cannot be denied.
Will FIX Programme
He concluded with the expression of
the hope that TIE time was not far OFF
that the Allies would meet at the coun-
Gil board to discuss in detail the eco
nomic association, which will combine
the resources of the civilized world in
the joint work of reconstruction and
the restoration Of prosperity.
~ have been much interested in the
series of addresses and discussions at
the recent meetings of commercial as
sociations in the United States. such
as the chambers of commerce and the
Foreign Trade Council, regarding trade
after the war. The tone of these dis
cussons seems to show clearly a de-
sire for settled arrangements for NUT
ual help between all the nations now
associated in the war against Germany
These are also our feelings in Britain,
and I should like to make some ar
acknowledgement of these recent utter
ances Of prominent American CONNER
cial men by trying to describe roughly
the state Of British policy at this mo-
ment in regard to such matters.
"The resolutions of the Paris eco
nomic conference have been much dis
cussed during the last two years.
When they were written we had an
alliance Of eight nations, six Of whom
Of war. The world outside including
the United States. with its vast re-
sources, was neutral, and. nominally. at
any rate, the neutral world at the CON
clusion of peace would have sold its
products where they would have
fetched most money. To borrow the
plain words of the recent inter-Allied
labor conference, all these vast re-
sources would have gone to those who
could pay most, not to those who would
need most, so the Paris conference
was a defensive agreement of those
then engaged in the war to secure
their own peoples against starvation
and unemployment during the period
of reconstruction, and to provide for
the restoration to economic life Of the
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