Evening star., 1925-10-07
FREE TRADE STUDY
ORDERED BY UNION
Parliamentary Body Refers
to Committee Question of
Ending Customs Frontiers.

Although declining definitely to
recommend the abolition Of customs
frontiers In Europe. the twenty third
conference Of the Interpariia mentary
Union. at it's closing session In the
House OF Representa- tives' chamber.
today una nimousIy voted to refer
this important question to spe-
cial committee for further study until
the next conference.
This action followed two hours OF
debate this morning in which a num-
Der Of speakers asserted that no Gus
toms understa ndfnk between the
European nations would be success
ful unless the United states and
other governments became parties
and virtually esta blished free trade
throughout the world. Several dele
ates went So far as TO snggest that
foreign exchange ratea. too. wouid
have to he standa rdized.
introduced by Finn.
The conference made known it's at
titude by adopting resolution in
troduced by II. J. ProcOpe. former
minister Of foreign affairs OF Finla nd.
In this paper. Mr.. Procope admitted
that it would he ''of the greatest i'm.
portance for good relations and con
tribute to the peace Of the world II
the economic barriers OF the European
states would, a. far a. possible. he
abolished"
terparliamentsry Union had rejected
resolution presented by. Adoiph
Braun. member Of the German Reich
stag. which would have had this con
ference definitely recommend the
creation Of . customs understandlne
between all Of the nations OF Europe
or between as great number as pos
sible." IL was pointed out that adop'
tion Of the Procope draft merely
postponed such action until this ques-
ton which Is new to the union, has
been further studied.
Will Fight Arms increase.
An unexpected and heated arau-
men, in favor Of lessening the eco
nomic barriers OF the whole world
was sounded just before the vote by
Representative Rlanton Of Texas. Mr..
RIant created laugh when he
said that as Democrat he was Tor
! free trade. In a more serious vein,
however. he added that he WOULD
agree to the United States entering
a customs understs ndine in AZ far as
1t could in safety for the peace OF
the world"
Mr.. Blanton startled the confer
ence however. when. gesticnlatine
heat ed,y. he declared that he intend
ed TO fight on the floor Of the House
, at the coming session OF ConKrees
every bill Of the general staff OF the
Army and Navy Of the United States
that sought to increase armamen's.
. Inn .
| decla ra ton in pointing out that
world customs understanding would
60 a long way toward fastening per
manent universal peace. His delhi
crate terms however. rather electri-
fed the conference and he was cut
short = he was about to continue by
Senator William r. Mckinley. the
presiding officer banging the savel
by way OF notihca ton that Mr.. Rlan-
tons time had expired.
Difference In Exchange.
Constant Georsescc. professor Of
economics of the University Of Ru-
ma mia and member Of the Cha mber
OF Deputies. told the conference that
unless the United States and other
non European nations became mem
bers OF the proposed customs under
standing. il could not enjoy the sue
cess that i. now hoped for it. The
differences in international exchange
rates must necessarily also he elimi-
mated. he said. IL the customs agree
ment comes 10 pass.
In this view. Gustave Gratz. former
minister Of foreign affairs Of Hungary.
concurred. Herr Grstz frankly re-.
ferred to the agreement as free trade.
a no said il would go long way
toward the esta hlishnent Of world
peace. Speakers from Poland. Bull
safia Sweden. Great Britain and
Fra ance agreed that the United States
should he a member Of such an under
standing.
Andrew McMaster Of Canada re-
ferred to protective tariffs in Europe
as foolish and absurd" He declared
such ba arriers are interferences with
personal liberties. and pointed out that
the prosperity of the United States is
due largely to the fact that 10000 900
persons live and trade without tariff
restrictions in this country.