Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-24
TRADE PACT PLAN :
STIRS OPPOSITION
other Nations Oppose New
German-AuStrian Gus
toms Agreement.
BY JOHN F. SINCLAIR.

tide BRAND, foreign minister OF France,
suggested an economic United States OF
Europe he ran into lot of difficulty.
Germany and Austria have taken the
suggestion seriously! They have decided
to see how the BRAND scheme will work
out. They plan to cut down all tarin
walls between their countries and allow
trade to move back and forth freely
Ind without obstruction.
Or. Julius Curtius, German foreign
minister, insists that the plan outlined
will not affect in any way 1.-The integral
independence of the two countries"
But the agreement has started a
storm In other countries. Austria and
Germany are prohibited by the YER
sailles treaty from joining politically.
France, Italy and Czechoslovakia have
raised warnings and declared that the
new agreement constitutes breach OF
the Geneva protocols, entered into nine
years ago.
lister, formerly prime minister and be-
fore that police commissioner OF Vienna,
and DR. julius Curtius, German for
eign minister, say the agreement IS
nothing more than the first contribu-
ton toward a fundamental idea OF a
United States Of European idea which
envisages not only an economic entente,
and world peace"
This plan is the most constructive
piece of work definitely outlined in re-
cent years in Europe. 1t should be tried
out. For the understanding is that If
it works successfully in these two coun-
tries it can be extended to other ma
tionS.
Europe's supreme work today is the
cutting down of tariff barriers and al
lowing the people of Europe to do BUSH
ness with each other.
Wheat Prices.
The Federal Farm Board threw q
stick of dynamite into the world mar
ket Yesterday when it announced that
it will not attempt to maintain wheat
prices beyond May"
For months the American wheat
prices have been about 20 cents a
bushel higher than they are on the
world market. But 1t was an artificial
thing-kept there at a cost, to the
American taxpayers, of millions of dol
lars, perhaps hundreds of millions
And it has not done the trick. Why?
Because the American wheat farmer
has not cut down his planting as the
Farm Board has asked. pleaded and
almost demanded. The board cannot
hope to maintain prizes If the farmers
will not cooperate.
Now what does this latest move
mean? Canada will be much interest
ed. for, all along. she has been hoping
that the United States would main
tain a high wheat price-higher than
the world price-so that Canada would
have less competition In selling her
wheat abroad.
Australia. too. is vitality interested,
as well as Argentina, and even Russia.
But when all is said and done it's
just another example of the folly OF
maintaining an artificial price with
cut the proper machinery and CO.
operation to back it up.
The Farm Boards decision TO let
the wheat farmers paddle their own
canoe for the 1881 crop is important
news in all parts Of the world.
state Income Tax Laws.
Exactly one-third of the States have
pending in the Legislatures at the
present time State income tax laws.
None Of these States has ever had
an income tax These States. now
considering an income tax, are Ari-
zona, California, Colorado. CSnnecGcut'
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnie
sofa. Montana. Nebraska, South Da-
kota. Texas, Utah, Vermont, West VIZ
rinia. Massachusetts,, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wash
Am these States would do well to
study carefully the Wisconsin State In
CRIME tax Iaw-tI1e most successful, so
far as results are concerned, so lar
worked out by any State. 1t has been
on the statute books Of this State since
1911.
Elections in Spain.
King Alfonso has re-eStablished con-
stitutionsl guarantees for the flrst time
in eight years.
Municipal elections viii be held with
In three weeks. The King apparently
has determined to md out whether
Spain wants TO continue as monarchy
or reorganize as a republic.
Spain is not only rich in traditions
but in resources. Negotiations are al
ready under way to stabilize the pesets
its unit Of currency. It is now worth
1886 TO the dollar. It has been falling
steadily in terms Of dollars since 1927
when Premier Primo de Rivera held i
at 5.89 to the dollar. 1t Is understood
that a large loan from the United
States, presumably from j. P. Morgan
a. Co, IS being negotiated at the pres
ert time, should the election situation
work out satisfactorily.
Spring Work.
Spring. offlcially. Is here. 1t SHOULD
mean less cold weather, less coal con
sumed from now on, more hopeful pros
poets for those who have had little thl
Winter. Outside work, too, is near a
hand-to assist some of the 5000, 0Oi
or more American men and women nov
out Of work.
By the way, what has been don
toward building up the machinery Il
find out exactly at given time jus
how many men and women are out o
work in every part of the country
Precious little! The estimates given Oh
are still largely guesses.
Social workers have been insisting 70
years that the weakest statistics in tn
United States are those that deal wit
this subject.
The figures used by the Hoover ad
ninistration itself have been woefull
weak Millions of dollars are spent b
the Government in getting information
Of very much less importance than Thu
-Four months ago-on December 2
President Hoover told Congress that tn
number Of unemployed had BEEN "aC
curateiy determined" in the previou
April as $500, 600, and that there hs
been some decrease in the number {
unemployed since that April figure wa
given.
Now comes the report Of Secretar
Lamont showing that "at the very tim
when the President was sending his Iii
TO Congress che Department Of Com
merce figured that there were as man
as 4 900 900 persons out Of work"
With the coming of Spring. the nun
Der Of employed doubtless will great
increase. but the job Of getting az
curate informatIon--info whic
cannot be successfully challenged-is {
major Importance right now! Withol
II, little can be done in constructi'
and permanent way.
(CopyriRht, 1881, by North American New
paper AiiianceJ
NEW SECURITIES
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