Evening star., 1925-03-20
j. s. SPREADS FREE
TRADE PRINCIPLES
Policy Worked Out Between
States and With Posses
sions Given to Europe.
BY WILLIAM c. REDFIELD.
Former Secretary OF Commerce.


The greatest free trade country in the
world is the United States OF America.
Every one of our 4S sovereign States
has surrendered its right to con-
troll commerce. with it's sister States
to the one great superstate in which
all are united, and absolute freedom
of trade prevails between them, ap-
proved by unanimous public opinion
and assured by decisions of the final
court. The same wise policy has been
extended to our insular possessions
and of course, to Alaska.
This happy condition did not arise
without difficulty, either at the be-
ginning or later. In various ways
different States undertook to tax
commerce with the other Common
wealths, but the effort was long ago
abandoned. The present system has
had such admirable results that Sc
we're penalties are imposed by law
upon any restraint of domestic trade.
and certain body of opinion exists
which would extend a similar policy
to foreign commerce.
Different Status In Europe.
The results of the war have
brought into existence an opposite
state of affairs in Europe. The ap-
pliCation of the doctrine of elf-de-
termination created number of
small states carved out of the former
large powers. each having its own
individual outlook. it's peculiar
methods, and, above all, or. indeed.
beneath all, its own pressing financial
needs. These new nations. as is
natural, have been somewhat as
sertive of their independence, desir-
ing, properly enough, to establish
their separate individualities. The
result. however, has been to make a
. fttG cd To
place new difficulties and added
formalities in the path of commerce
and to put obstacles in the way of
commercial recovery at the time
when it was vital that the recovery
should be quick and easy. 1t was not
the fault of the new nations a much
s their misfortune that the fact of
their birth should combine with other
causes to make commerce temporarily
more difficult. 1t would be, therefore,
unjust to cast upon them the whole
burden of responsibility. They were
new factors to he considered new
elements in A complex adjustme mt /:
so much and no more, but that meant
time and patience in the working out.
1nheritances from the war also
were the chaos coming from the can
collation. of old treaties and agree
ments, the survival into the peace of
the restrictions and formalities of
war, the alteration or destruction of
old trade routes and the breaking
down of familiar trade customs.
Under such circumstances it was
not strange that the business men
of several countries felt the urge to
agree on common principles that
would aid in solving the pressing
commercial and financial problems
1t was natural, also, that Americans,
with their heritage of free inter
course at home. should be leaders in
the movement. Hence was born in
Atlantic City in the Fall of 1919, at
q conference of business leaders OF
several nations. the International
Chamber of Commerce.
This International Chamber is 4
federation of leading commercial bod
les of all the important nations-a
non political, unofficial, but vigorous
and influential, economic league of
nations. 1t is a great, effective, pri-
vate business force for good, made in
America, led by AMERICANS, in coop
Grafton with able men of other lands.
and should have the earnest support
of all American business opinion.
Copyright, 1921