Evening star., 1933-04-12

! This is the first Of series gath
| cred by the Associated Press on the
hopes and expectations of the ma
| tions invited to participate in Presi-
dent Roosevelt's series OF confer
ences in Washington on World Eco
| nomic Problems.
tcopyrisht. 1933J
| BY the Associated Press.
OTTAWA, April 1.-THE people OF
Canada look to- the approaching con-
| ferences at Washington, preceding the
World Economic Conference, with much
| hope. Premier r. B. Bennett will visit
the United States Capital at date not
yet decided upon and it is expected dis
cussion will include the possibility of a
trade agreement between Canada and
the United States as well as such ques-
tions as rehabilitating the price OF sill
yer and provisions to guard against fu-
ture gluts in the wheat market.
These latter problems will require the
cooperation of several nations to make
effective any solution.
Premier Favors Agreement.
The prime minister in his speech in
the House of Commons February 20
dealt with the prospects Of a trade
agreement between Canada and the
United States, when he said all parties
in the House. speaking for the whole
Of Canada, have expressed the desir
ability Of such an agreement being
made II possible"
In view of the great Importance
which the government places on the
negotiations for trade agreement with
the United States, absolute silence had
been maintained In ministerial circles
ou fn mlS hou
made or will be made to Washington.
1t is felt here, however, that much
can be done to revive the immense
trade that once was carried on between
the two countries. In the fiscal year
1929, Canada bought goods from her
Southern neighbors to the value Of
1868 012 ,229 and sold the United States
goods to the value Of $499 9,612,145. The
trade between the two countries has
been diminishing for several years. The
premium of the United States dollar
over the Canadian dollar, approximately
20 per cent, not only makes much
heavier the interest burden Canada has
to meet each year in New York, but Is
one Of the most important factors in
making it dift1cult for United States
Arms to sell goods in Canada.
Producers Protected.
The Canadian producers are pro-
tected by this premium in addition to
the regular tariff and dumping duties
which have been levied frequently
against United States products.
The Canadian importer has to pay
$40 In Canadian funds for each dol
lars worth Of goods in United States
funds and has to pay the tariff charges
based on $l.2O.
For a time this disparity in exchanges
helped the Canadian farmers who
could sell certain products across the
border, the premium in exchange
wtping out much Of the United States
tariff, but recently prices Of farm prod
ucts such rs butter, eggs, poultry, etc,
have reached such low levels in the
Republic that this trade is cut on.
Some steps likely will be studied to
make the tariffs between the two coun-
tries less liable to change due to fiuctua-
tions in exchange and the application
Of dumping or unfair competition
duties.
Tariff experts here have expressed
the opinion that, while United States
tariffs are In >inany cases higher than
the corresponding Canadian tariffs, the
frequent use Of the dumping duties by
Canada and the right Of the minister
Of national revenue to declare the fair
market value OF any goods coming in
has made the Canadian tariff at least