Evening star., 1935-11-20
URGED
IN FOREIGN TRADE
President and Hull Tell
Houston Convention Bar
riers Hinder Prosperity.

BY the Associated Press.
HOUSTON, Tex, November 90
President Roosevelt and Cordell Hull,
Secretary of State, told the National
Foreign Trade Convention last night
the United States stands ready to take
the lead in the elimination of injurious
trade barriers throughout the world.
Messages from the President and
Secretary of State were read at the
world trade dinner. the climactic
function of the tWenty-Second annual
convention.
IF we would build constructively
for peace" the President wrote, I'VE
must build upon economic founda-
tions which are sound; sound econom-
les require liberalized trade. Amer
lea stands ready to go forward with
other nations in this great move
ment"
international trade today is being
throttled not only by prohibitive
duties, but also by import quotas and
other trade control measures" Mr..
Roosevelt said. These highly arbi-
trary restrictions prevent the flow Of
trade through normal and most profit
able channels. The growing cost both
to the United States and to other ma
tons is becoming intolerable.
Discrimination Opposed.
World trade for the profit of all
must be hberalized and freed from
discriminatory practices. There must
be turn to fair and friendly trade
methods. We cannot accomplish
this alone. The only practicable way
to assure American trade Of protec-
ton against injurious trade barriers
in foreign countries is to join with
these countries in a concerted effort
to reduce excessive trade restrictions
and to re-eStabliSh commercial rela-
tions on a on-discriminatory basis.
This is the kernel of the American
trade agreements program.
After extending greetings to the
convention, the President wrote: 1T
is the knowledge that you will take
full advantage of any new opportuni-
ties for expanding our foreign trade
that encourages the administration in
concert with other governments to
press forward with its efforts to bring
about a relaxation of governmental
restrictions, which now throttle inter-
national commerce.
THE full reward of Americas high
productive capacity is only gained
when our business men and our farm
ers can sell their surpluses abroad.
- AS every producer knows, it is not
merely the value of his foreign sales
which is lost when he is left with an
unmarketable surplus on his hands.
The value of his entire production is
seriously impaired.
Foreign Markets Necessary.
Foreign markets must be regained
if American producers are to rebuild
full and enduring domestic pros
perity for our people. There is no
other way if we would avoid painful
economic dislocations, social readjust-
ments and unemployment.
In rebuilding our foreign markets
we can not afford to lose sight of the
fact that a market only exists because
people buy as well as sell. In the
long run a nations sales are inesca-
pably limited by its purchases. This
does not mean an improbable ex-
change of goods. 1t means that each
country has something it desires to
sell, which other countries find it
desirable and profitable to buy. '''
The American program stands out
today in the eyes of the world as a
definitely constructive program de-
signed to combat the tendency toward
excessive national f-sufficiency and
the depressed standards of living which
extreme economic isolation inevitably
entail"
Secretary Hull wrote that mo per-
manent world recovery can be counted
upon until world trade barriers have
been scaled down to reasonable dimen-
sions.
Mutual Destruction.
1.-THE governments of nations that
lead in world trade are increasingly
aware of the futnity Of mutual destruc-
tion Of each others commerce" he
wrote.
Each trade agreement which this
Government signs under the uncondi-
tional INSTRUMENTATION principle
has cumulative effect on the reduc-
ton Of trade barriers throughout the
world. Our program is, therefore. to
be considered as trade restorative
effort aimed not only at the rehabilita-
tion Of our own foreign trade, but as
the restoration of the profitable volume
of international trade the world over
which is essential for the restoration
of prosperity in the United States on
a sound basis"
James A. Farrell, chairman of the
National Foreign Trade Council, was
the first speaker at the dinner. He
said effects of the "nationalistic trend
have proved to be disappointing to the
nations that have indulged in this
dream of self-containment"
THE nations of the world, econom-
ically, stand or fall together" he
stated. Partners in. world commerce,
can be found only in closest