Evening star., 1933-05-07
Economic Conference Vital

observable in the recent history Of
agriculture In the United States. The
representatives Of agriculture at WASH
ington, failing or neglecting to per-
suade the Congress to lower whatever
excessive tariff duties may have been
enacted for the protection Of Ameri-
can manufacturers. demanded and
gained for the American farmer q sys-
tenn Of tariff duties often equally ex-
cessive BY this means they estab-
lished for the American farmer pros
nable to foreign competition. That
conception OF impregnableness Is,
however. an appetite that grows. It Is
an appetite that Is Unsuitable. Hence
the present farm relief bill
Score sf Farm Bal.
BY the terms Of that bill the Govern
ment d empowered to take over into
its hands substantially the supreme
direction Of American agriculture. 1t
may sign contracts with farmers and
mlddiemen affecting the level OF farm
product prices: and the preference Of
the Government regarding the height
OF that level will be the predominant
preference. It may. moreover. lease
vast areas Of land from farmers and
devote those areas to such uses as 1t
p!eases. It may In many other ways
assert its public collective bureaucratic
domination Of an occupation hitherto
On top OF which, and to add still
another confirming story to the grow
ing edtfce Of governmentaitzed secur-
ity. it may levy new additional tariff
taxes upon imports Of oil agricultural
commodities mentioned In the bill.
Such processes 60 forward now
throughout the world. On the heels OF
Recommendation to create Q domestic
paradise against the foreigners comes
governmentalism to elevate that para
disc TO stiu more rarefied levels for the
benefit Of the natives among them
selves. The epttOme Of the two gov
ernmentalisms Is condensed into the
now widespread substituting OF ma
tional merchant marines.
Governments. while encouraging ex-
ports and discoursging imports and
thus shrinking International trade
proceed. nevertheless. to Day bounties
out OF their treasures to native mer-
chant ships engaged In that trade The
objective thus indicated might not too
J0cularly be said to be that Of the ships
In question should proceed abroad
loaded to the gunwales with domestic
products sold to foreigners and should
return home with . laugh Of derision
at foreigners and wholly empty. Such
voyages would be the ultimate COM
pGslte picture Of the economic inter-
national belligerency and the national
SocizllStic recommendation which now
are the sun and moon Of our revolving
political planet.
L.
The international monetary and
economic conference Is designed pre-
ctsely to try to take our planet into
another solar and lunar system. It is
| drastic and perhaps impossible en-
tefprise. It is an enterprise which sets
up an ideal directly and totally alien to
present prevailing practices That
Ideal Is the reduction Of governmental
ot Tree private economic hazard to the
feasible maximum.
For instance:
The Preparatory Commission of the
International Monetary and Economic
Conference discussed In its report not
only the major questions OF currencies
and OF tariff duties but the question
often thought minor. Of shipping; and
it says:
In the case of shipping the most
urgent questions arise in connection
with direct or indirect subsidies to ma
ti0nal mercantile marines aud premi-
ums on national shipbuilding. This
policy has certainly contributed to-
ward the creation and maintenance Of
q much greater tonnage than Is re-
quired by existing International trade.
So that In many countries shipping
has become . burden ON the national
economy instead Of . contribution to
its prosperity. We agree with the meet
ing Of ship owners recently held at the
International Chamber Of Commerce
that it Is impossible to return to sound
conditions In the shipping industry so
long Is the uneconomic policy Of gov
eminent subsidies continues"
No better proof than this quotation