Evening star., 1932-12-22
NEW TRADE DRAFT
TAKEN TORRANCE
Edge Has Treaty in Practic-
ally Complete Form to Be
Gone Over Again.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, December 22-It was report
ed reliably today that Ambassador Wall
ter E. Edge has returned here with the
draft of a new Franco-American COM
mercial treaty practically in complete
form, so far as American desires were
concerned The treaty must be gone
over again with the French, it was said.
(The Ambassador went to the United
States in September with draft OF
French counter proposals to an Ameri-
can bid for a new treaty. Previous re-
ports said French failure to pay the
governments debt to the United States
last week would force an indefinite suS-
pension of the trade negotiations)
1t was reported the French have some
new ideas concerning the list Of goods
to be affected and that the matter re-
quired further negotiations. AmbaSsa-
dor Edge has been unable to do any
| thing yet because of the change in the
French government.
Between France and Canada.
Preliminary steps have been taken
between Canada and France for new
treaty to replace the one recently de-
nounced by Canada as a result Of the
British Empire preference agreements
drawn up at Ottawa. Negotiations, how
ever, have reached only preparatory
stage.
Some impressions exist in French
circles that France would prefer final
commercial treaty negotiations to go
over until the advent of the Demo-
cratic administration in the United
States, believing France then could OBJ
tot, odv nf a
tionS.
Ambassador Edge is invested with
full power to wind up commercial
treaty negotiations at the most favor
able opportunity. However. there
seemed to be a growing belief that
neither the question of the government
debt owed the United States nor the
treaty will be definitely settled until
the Democrats come into power.
French manufacturers and exporters
hoped that Frances unfavorable trade
balance would be reversed in a new
treaty Since the high peak of 1926
French foreign trade has gone steadily
downward and by 1890 1t had shrunk
% per cent. The decrease since then
has been even more marked. :
Government trade figures show the
United States over period of years
lids SOlu W GldA1CC tAicAA AuAASS
has sold to the United States. But
these figures take no account OF money
spent in France by American tourists
The tourist trade, however, has dimin-
ished greatly.
Commodities in Trade.
Principal French purchases in the
United States are cotton, mineral oils
crude oil and oil products and ma
chimes. France sells the United States
skins, cheese, table fruits, vegetable oils
perfumery, soaps, cotton tissues, wool
and silks.
Ambassador Edge proposes to resume
commercial treaty negotiations with the
French ct the earliest propitious mo-
ment when the French cabinet has
time to settle itself down to work.
He apparently has no intention to
allow the debt question to interfere with
future negotiations concerning COM
mercial treaty.
It is understood America has prac.
tically decided to accept a list OF
articles prepared by the French, where
upon France will extend most-favored-
nation treatment.
It is possible that the French may
produce some new claims concerning
treatment of French merchandise ex-
ported to America and may prefer to
have a treaty concluded when the Dem
ocrats come into power.