The Washington herald., 1921-03-11
SEEKS CLOSER
COOPERATION IN
WORLD TRADE
coNrrNuEp FROM PAGE ONE.


CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
and ventilation Of the whole gamut
of these possible improvements and
of elimination Of our great wastes
in labor, in material. in power and
a host of other directions.
There are some Of these direc-
tions in which believe this de-
partment con secure some results
by cooperation within the different
trades and industries. Through
this cooperation we shall be able
to improve some of our business
practices; to extend the standards
in manufactured products which
would make great savings to our
consumers and promote our foreign
commerce. These are not In any
event, however, possible OF accom-
plfshment by regulation, They
must be accomplished first BY proof
of necessity. and then by co-opera-
tion of the trades. who must have .
part in their determination and de-
velopment. I am convinced that
they are only too anxious to- de-
velop such demonstrated things.
For instance, every builder knows
that modern building codes, stan
dards in sizes and grades of mate
rial, ETC., would greatly lessen
building costs"
There are some economic diffi-
culties arising from the war that
will no doubt solve themselves
with time, Mr.. Hoover believes. but
an infinite amount of misery could
be saved IL we had the same spirit
of spontaneous cooperation in ev-
cry community for reconstruction
that We had in war" he said.
Government departments can at
least try to do something to inspire
such renewed cooperation.
Several Millions Idle.
For instance, we have 5000, 900
or 100000 idle men walking the
streets, and at the same time we are
short more than 100000 homes;
our railways are far below their
need in equipment; our power
plants, waterways and highways are
all far behind our national needs
in normal commerce. To apply this
idle labor to our capital equipment
Is one of the first problems of the
country. Its solution involves con-
structive action in.many directions,
but among other things definite
resolution of each local community
to secure cooperation in itself. In
the building trades, for instance, a
get-togther attitude on the part of
labor, material manufacturers and
contractors in every locality to
eliminate mispractices and bring
down the expense of housing would
~ rriG h. Il
of re-employment."
The Secretary pointed out that
another outstanding economic trou-
Bile is that farmers and our mann
facturers are overloaded with food,
raw material. apd goods that they
cannot market Aroad. and at the
same time, great masses of people
overseas are cold and hungry.
rhese people can only purchase
on credit pending their own econ
omic recuperation, and our own re-
cuperatlon depends greatly upon
theirs, he added. I'VE are thus NOT
facing over-production, but a break
down of credit links between us and
the areas of underconsumption
Congress has provided the way for
creation of foreign credits by bank
ing cooperation under the Edge
act. and the logical and economic
thing in the whole national interest
Is for our bankers to work some
thing out. Foreign credits are bet
ter than rotten food.
New Forces I'm Trade.
There are some new forces in
the worlds commerce that must
cause concern. There is a tendency
IN European nations to definitely
mobilize the export, and in some
cases the import, trades for mill
tant commercial invasion. In some
instances this is being done under
government direction and organ
ization, and often even with govern
ment finance; in others, it is being
carried out by government leader
ship and suggestion. Such formal
or informal combinations may rem
der the position of our merchants
and exporters precarious indeed.
Beyond this, where these con-
trolls are instituted over their own
imports of cotton. food and other
agricultural products, they seriously
dominate the prices of our own
farmers, and where they are insti-
tuted to secure control of the
worlds natural resources in min
erals. oils, etc, they may dominate
our future supply of these vital
raw materials. Our competitors
are within their rights in these
matters. but we must protect our
selves. Our commercial community
has the right in law and has been
encouraged by Congress to combine
for business outside our frontiers,
precisely for the purpose of meet
ing such contingencies as this. But
it all requires that our trades CO.
operate in an enlightened sense of
national service. as well as i'm
mediate interest.
"All together, more economic tax
alton, tariff, large economy in gov
ernment through internal bureaus,
reorganization and agreements on
disarmament. and systematic gov
eminent cooperation, will all con-
tribute to help US out of the ditch.
We will get out-yet when all is
done the rapidity with which we
get out will have depended upon
the degree to which we pull to-
gether."