The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-03-17

ernmcnt will be to secure combinations
not in restraint of individual trade, but
in promotion of all American trade. The
government OF Great Britain says TO its
merchants .'Aou of course do not know
the credit standing of the merchants III
Czecho- SlovaBia. Through our govern
ment agencies we can find that out and
take the risk-go ahead and trade with
Czecho-Slovakia and we Will back YOU
Under such conditions the European
merchant has had his own government
back of him. The new plan OF the
Harding administration Just approved
is to put the United States government
back of the merchant and the farmer
and of course the exporter. 10 do TINS
there must be the closest kind OF coop
Grafton between trade organizations and
the units of American industry. there
must also be financial cooperation.
While the Harding administration
means to Use the war finance corpora
ton in this project, it is really intended
that the private corporations organized
under the Edge law shall be the basis
of the export effort. Herbert Hoovers
desire TO make a real department. OF
commerce was to be sure not the inc
dental request of a cabinet member. 1t
was made because he knew :he depart
/ ment of commerce always had the Ia
! Cilities and the agencies to promote
American trade but it was poWerless 10
/ act unless the entire government puts
/ its shoulder to the wheel and American
public opinion supported its plan. Many
! a secretary OF commerce has wanted to
/ go far indeed toward promoting Amerl-
can trade, but III the past the effort has
extended merely to the furnishing q
| information New legislation has Just
| been enacted permitting combinations
of American firms in foreign trade. New
| conditions have been created through
| the entry into the Harding cabinet OF
men like Herbert Hoover, who are not
satisfied with the ordinary limitations
of a government department, but who
! inst inctively seek to apply the moTai
influence of the government to the IT.
yelopment of business in America.
Back of the whole plan. however, Is
| the specter of the league OF nations dis,
pute. Until there Is peace between the
| United states and Germany or rather
until there Is agreement between the
| United States and the allies, who are
| the present receivers of Germany's as
sets, plans for American trade eNpan,
sion will be largely theoretical: There
is every reason To believe, however,
i that the foreign policy of the Harding
administration j. slowly being moulded
into something different than was cN-
/ pected duriur~the campaign by the So
! called irrcconciiables. President Hard
! ing realizes that a separate peace with
! Germany means a possible ant "~onIsm
allied countries. Something like 80 per
cent of Americas trauc, if not more,
is with the allies. To preserve the
friendship of the allies is one of the
FIRST principles of the Harding foreign
policy. Those i'm the cabinet who be
iieve the present league of nations and
treaty can be used as a frame work
| for American foreign policy have not
vet abandoned hope. but are encouraged
to believe that Mr.. Harding's fairness
and breadth of mind win make him see
the wisdom of making such proposals 70
Europe as viii preserve Americas free
dom of action and at the same time
of Versailles.