Evening star., 1926-08-08
By HERBERT S. HOLLANDER.


American business, through the
agency of committee to the 1nterna-
tional Chamber of Commerce. of
which Julius II. Barnes is chairman
is moving toward the breaking down
of the many trade barriers now con-
stituting an actual menace to world
commercial intercourse. and in some
instances Weakening rather than
strengthening, the economic structure
of the individual nations involved.
The committee, headed by IMr.
Barnes--at one time president of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
StateS--s just one of a number of
groups now hard at work on the vari-
Gus phases of the problem of trade
barriers. and all of the committees en-
gagged in this task will report to a
unit designated as the central trade
barriers committee. The whole sub
ject will come up for full and com
plete discussion by representative
business and financial leaders of the
world when the International Cham
Der meets in Stockholm next June.
OF particular interest is the fact
that Roland W. Boyden. who was the
American unofficial observer on the
reparatiOnS commission, is vice chair
man and the member from the
United States on the central trade
barriers committee.
1t must be apparent even to the
casual observer that voluntary trade
barriers-those set up by governments
presumably in behalf of their own
best economic interest-often are ac-
tual menaceS not only to the free
movement of world trade. but to the
economic wellbeing of the nations
themselves
Conditions Are Listed.
The American committee. which
proposes a declaration by the business
men of the world. containing princi-
pies designed to govern the treatment
of foreign business. foreign rights
and foreign capital. makes the fol-
lowing list Of conditions which it
names as being "a grave hindrance
to the international exchange of
goods" These conditions are:
Decline of purchasing power
Depreciation of currencies and in
stability of exchanges.
Political instability and lack of Sc
curity.
Discrimination against and aver
sion to foreign capital and trade.
Increase of customs barriers
through creation of new political en-
titles.
Entrance of government into
spheres of industry and trade hitherto
left to private business.
More than passing interest attaches
to the American committees ideas
in the matter of discrimination against
and aversion to foreign trade and
capital Believing that a declaration
would be of real benefit, especially
in assisting countries more recently
established, to develop their natural
resources. this committee sets forth
it's conceptions as follows:
Every nation has. of course, the
sovereign right to define the condi-
tions governing the entry of foreign
capital and goods. Unfortunately, a
perfectly understandable desire to
conserve the resources and opportu-
mites of q nation to its own nationals
has led to discriminatory taxation of
foreign merchants and manufacturers
and discriminatory regulation of fol
eign banks, shipping companies and
insurance companies.
Rights Are Seen Destroyed.
"In some instances it has been
carried to the extreme of destroying
or seriously impairing the prior rights
of foreigners legally and lawfully ac-
quired. The effect of confiscatory
legislation is to seriously impair the
confidence which is the basis of in
ternational business. The American
committee suggests that the business
men of the world, through the In
ternational Chamber. might we'll unite
in a declaration outlining the funda-
mental principles which should gov
ern the treatment of foreign busi-
ness, foreign rights and foreign capi-
tai"
Among the specific barriers which
the American committee believes care
full attention and consideration should
be given are these:
Double taxation.
. Lack of international protection of
patents, trade marks and designs.