Evening star., 1933-12-12
PEEK WILL Be HEAD
OF EXPORT Agency
Hamed Chief of Committee to
Study Coordination of
U. S. Foreign Trade.
BY the Associated Press.

10 George N. feek goes the JOD OF
harmonizing the domestic program for
crop adjustment with foreign purchas-
ing power through tariffs, treaties,
barter or any other means he can find.
That task was assigned to him by
President Roosevelt, who thus compro-
missed the controversy between Peek and
Agriculture Department liberals
Peek was still farm administrator
when the White House announced he
would head new temporary commit
tee to recommend permanent machinery
to coordinate all Government relations
to American foreign trade" but his
formal resignation was due soon.
Mr. Roosevelt and Peek, the White
House said, have been discussing foreign
r'nr,.et problems since last March, and
nov t'lat the task Of restricting dcmes-
tic production Is well under way it Is
time to study ''the possibility and advis-
ability Of reopening foreign markets for
agricultural surpluses."
viii Take Aides With Him.
The new agency, later to be made
permanent, which Peek will head, will
include individuals of his cwn choice
as we'll as the Interdepartmental Ad-
visory Board on Reciprocal Treaties and
the Interdepartmental Trade Policy
Committee
Peek is expected to take with him
several Agriculture Department aides
who backed him in his differences with
Secretary Wallace, Assistant Secretary
Tugwell and others who. supposedly,
disagreed with the farm administrator
understood dislike of rigid production
control.
Peek's successor is to be Chester c.
Davis production chief
Peek decided to quit as farm admin
istrator last week after he and Secre-
tary Wallace broke openly over policies
He did not make his decision known
until the White House conference yes
terday in which Acting Secretary of the
Treasury Morgenthau, Jesse H. Jones
Of the Reconstruction Finance Corpora
ton. Secretary Wallace. Joseph H.
Choate. jr. head of the Alcohol Control
State Phillips and other high officials
participated.
White House Gives Statement.
Both he and Wallace hurried from
the White House to a train bound for
Chicago. Shortly after their departure
the White House issued a formal state
ment that said Peek would head the
export organization.
For the time being, it will be a "tem-
porary committee to recommend per-
manent~ machinery to coordinate all
governmental relations to American
| foreign trade"
This committee is to make its report
IN about two weeks. and then the per-
manent organization which Peek will
| direct Is to be formed
Meanwhile, the temporary committee
will include the members of the Inter-
departmental Advisory Board on Recip-
rocal Treaties and the Interdepart-
| mental Trade Policy Committee both
formed within the Roosevelt admins
tration to map out and promote foreign
trade policies.
Peek's committee probably will assist
the State Department, the Farm Ad-
ministration and the Alcohol Control
Administration in finding new markets
for American agricultural products and
in eliminating barriers, or negotiating
pacts which are expected to reopen
trade channels clogged now by tariffs
or other impediments.
The text of the White House state
ment said:
Creation Of temporary committee
to recommend permanent machinery to
coordinate all Government relations
to American foreign trade, was an
nounced today at the White House.
The report of the committee and
final action thereon is expected within
| two weeks.
Special Aide to President"
George Peek. agricultural adjustment
administrator, having completed the
organization period of the A. A. A., is
designated to head this committee as
special assistant to the President on
American trade policy.
The committee will include the mem
bers Of the two departmental commit
tees, the Interdepartmental Advisory
Board on Reciprocal Treaties, Inter-
departmental Trade Policy Committee
and such other individuals as Mr.. Peek
may select,
Guides Arrangements.
"As far back as last March, in his
discussions of the agricultural policy,
| the President discussed with Mr.. Peek
the possibility and the advisability of
reopening foreign markets for agricul-
tural surpluses. 1t was decided at that
time that the immediate domestic sup
PIX should be restricted, in view of the
fact that foreign markets were closed
temporarily by tariffs, quotas, etc., so
SAlo1 tAiC AAAii1lCuldGc CdSk WAS 10 I6SLrlCt
production until the machinery for the
limitation of burdensome surpluses
could be put in operation
Now the time has come to initiate
the second part of the program and to
corTelate the two parts, the internal
adjustment of production with such ef-
fective foreign purchasing power as may
be developed by reciprocal tariffs, barter
and other international arrangements.
Mr.. Peek will head the new organ
ization when it is created"