Evening star., 1933-05-09
l. CONF ERCIO. Lima.-The
astounding decrease In trade be-

I'll COMERCIO. Lima.-The
- astounding decrease In trade be-
tween the grand republic Of
IL North America and the other
countries OF the globe has re-
fected the gradual orientation OF for
e!gn commerce to the tariff system Of
that nation. As the United States con-
tinued to raise its bulwarks against
exotic products, both natural and manu-
faItured. other lands. thus generally and
mutually Disseminated against began
to seek in each others markets what
they formerly purchased In the United
States. Thus it has become more and
more evident that what was first con-
sidered a master stroke OF economic
policy for Yankeeland degenerated
finally into a ridiculous fiasco.
Only the fact that approximately s5
per cent OF North American industry
and agriculture found outlet for their
products at home has saved the country
from total debacle. They talk now
III the United States Of reducing the
tariffs. but such action may clearly
prove too belated. for the new adjust
ments which have been made in recipro-
cal trade agreements between her
former patrons do not permit Of ready
cancellation.
Just what part the commercial atti-
tude OF the United States has played
i'll the present crisis Is not unanimously
determined. Economic experts hold con-
Trajectory opinions, but 1t can not be
disputed that II she had retained even
hall Of her trade with foreign countries
curing this critical epoch. it would rep
resent at least 10 per cent more than
statistics show to be her present total
business, and 10 per cent Is always more
than a mere mote In the eye.
Thus again the superstition that the
sapience of the world is conceptrated In
North America has been disprOved.
Whether or not that Obdurate and
pertinacious people has learned valua-
BILE lesson IN applied political economy
will not be known Immediately. 1t Il
fer better for an individual or a nation
to acknowledge mistakes than to per-
sist In them, and especially to attempt
their vindication. Yet that has always
been the unfortunate tendency in the
United States The propensity and
fancy first seize upon some dubious
phase or novelty in thought. fashion or
other principle Of life and conduct, and
then the whole social order strives In
furiately to find sanctions alike for
ethical errors and prejudicial complica-
tions. whether the phenomena are Of
public or private concern.
In America has been largely forgot
ten the age-old precepts Of Aristotle
wherein man is first instructed and ad-
monished to seek the good. This moral
duty has been perpetuated In all re-
Hgions since his day. and particularly
in the chief doctrines Of Christianity.
Nowhere has man learned perfectly this
highest obligation. but perhaps it Is in
the great materialiStic republic Of the
North that he has strayed farthest from
pure. generous and altruistic ideals OF
human character. There. more than
anywhere, man for greed exploits his
, fellow man. though paradoxically claim
| ing simultaneously to be an exponent OF
civic and social rectitude.
In the present moments there Is op-
! portunity for all to see the dire ex-
| trernity of q nation that has relin-
quished its ideals and lapsed into the
Wild theories of q materia!tstic philos-
| ophy.
| u +
| Spanish Architects