Evening star., 1933-05-07
BY GASTON NERvAL.

A s II the announcement of the
~ policy Of the good neighbor and
~ the new Interpretation Of the
4 \ Monroe Doctrine, contained In
President Roosevelt's Pan-Amer-
ican day address. were not enough to
assure the other republics of the
Western Hemisphere Of a new deal" In
Pan-American relations, the President
added in his memorable speech:
TT is of vital Importance to every
nation OF this continent that the Amer
ican governments, individually, take,
without further delay, such action as
may be possible to abolish all unneces-
sary and artificial barriers and restric-
tons which now hamper the healthy
flow Of trade between the peoples Of
the American republics
That was the fitting climax for a
declaration of policies in which the
Chief Executive Of the United States
had just heralded the advent of q new
era In inter-American relations. The
promises Of equality, respect for the
sovereignty Of the smaller Caribbean
nations, non-intervention in their
domestic affairs, and the mention of the
Monroe Doctrine as a "Pan-American
doctrine of continental self-defense" had
given new hope in the solution of
political differences. But they would
not have been complete without some
reference to the economic phase Of the
problem.
President Roosevelt realized that in
this eminently economic age, and par
ticularly so in a period of world wide
depression, no pronouncement on inter-
national affairs could be complete If it
overlooked the economic issue involved
Two Other Reasons.
Besides, in the specific field of Far-
American relations, two other reasons
existed why any scheme Of greater
understanding and cooperation among
sphere at this particular time had
necessarily to take into consideration
an Improvement in their commercial
interchange.
Inc nrSt one OF these reasons is that
the highly protective tariff policy of
the United States during the past few
years has aroused considerable resent
ment on the other side of the Rio
Grande. The majority of the Latin
American countries being almost COM
pletely dependent upon their exports.
any restrictions imposed on these by
them seriously. The more so when
foreign nations were bound to affect
the nation erecting the high-tariff
wall was the United States, in almost
every case their largest customer.
The resentment created by Uncle
Sans high customs tariffs came to a
head when the almost prohibitory rates
OF the Hawley-Smoot tariff act went
into effect. Latin Americans had
warned Of the harmful effects which
that the reduced buying power of the
countries affected by the high tariffs
would force them to cut down their
purchases OF American manufactured
goods.
They had emphasized that high
tarins brought i'll will and retaliations
which might prove serious in the course
OF years. But the protests of Latin
American exporters and the more re-
sounding ones in behalf of international
friendship and cooperation. subtly
voiced by their diplomatic representa- :
ives IN Washington, were disregarded.
Conference Urged Reductions.
The fourth Pan-American' CONNER
clal Conference. gathered in Washing
ton soon afterward, disclosed that high
tarlHs had already begun their destruc-
eA'S WIN. consequently, LQe confer
ence pronounced itself for tariff reduc-
tions and after suggestion had been
made for two-year tariff truce,
passed resolution recommending the
American governments to grant each
other. as soon as conditions of their
domestic economy may permit, the
greatest tariff advantages and the re-
duction of domestic taxes on natural
products either through multi
lateral conventions or special treaties. -
Similar resolutions had already been
approved by the Pan-American Recip-
rocal Trade Conference of Sacramento.
Calf, and by the world meeting of the
International Chamber of Commerce at
Washington, that same year.
Yet, only last year, two new and
higher customs duties were enacted by
the United States Congress. on oil and
copper, two products abundant in South
America. The reaction in Latin Amer
lea was widespread In the Peruvian
Chamber of Deputies, motion was in
troduced asking the government of
Lima to call South American con-
ference for the purpose of counteract-
ing the high tariffs of the United
States.
Chilean newspapers suggested an
economic boycott of manufactured
goods made in U. S. A." A Cuban
official added that the British and