Montgomery County sentinel., 1935-12-05

past, Cordell Hull, secretary Of state,
has been proceeding
Canadian cautiously and quiet
Trade Pact ly in the negotiation
of trade agreements
with foreign nations. His work has at
tracted comparatively little public at
tention although throughout the nego-
tiations Individual economic, interests
who stood to gain or lose depending
upon their lines of business have made
known their feelings quite emphatical-
1y. Six Of these trade agreements, now
called trade treaties, had been consum-
mated In this manner. When the sew
enth agreement came along, however,
the story was different. That was the
treaty with our northern neighbor,
Canada.
It is impossible here to set forth the
list Of commercial products encom-
passed In the new trade agreement
with Canada. I doubt If most Of the
people of this country ever will know
"details of that treaty. By the nature
of things, few persons can be inter-
ested in all of the items. But, I do
not believe that it is the question of
individual interest in the entire list
that ought to concern us. Aside from
the policy involved in the negotiation
and agreement on tariff concessions,
the importance of the Canadian treaty
to the average individual lies In the
one or two, or half a dozen at most,
items that affect each one personally.
do not mean to say that the policy
involved Is unimportant. The contrary
Is decidedly true. From a political
standpoint, Of course, 1t is general
policy that will be debated; from an
individual standpoint 1t will be the di-
rect effect that execution Of that pol
icy has on each of us that will deter
mine our ultimate views and to that
extent determine whether we will be
for or against the general policy Of re-
ducing tariffs enacted against certain
kinds Of imports.
The new agreement with Canada
takes effect January provided the
Canadian parliament
A00 ratifes it. No such
Free Hand ratification is neces-
sary In this country.
The treaty was negotiated by Mr.. Hull
and President Roosevelt under the au-
thority granted by congress In legisla-
tion passed year ago which gave to
the President the privilege Of working
out trade treaties without further
congressional sanction. That law re-
stricted the President in only one way,
namely, the requirement that an in
crease or reduction of tariff rates in
cluded In those trade treaties may not
exceed so per cent Of the rate fixed in
the present tariff laws. So it is seen
that Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hull had
virtually complete authority. It will
operate for three years and, as far as
/ have been able to discover, it will be
effective after Canadian ratification
and there will be nothing anybody can
do about it, be it good or bad.
In making public the agreement ne
gotiated by Mr.. Hull with Prime Min
lister Mackenzie King, the President
asserted his belief that the agreement
will initiate or revive a flow of COM
merce back and forth across our
northern frontier in a manner that will
be most helpful. He considered that
the agreement would mean additional
markets for some Of our products and
therefore additional work for some of
our unemployed. The Canadian prime
minister was OF the opinion that in
this agreement a long step had been
taken toward healing a breach that
has existed between the two countries
for SO years. He was hopeful, like
President Roosevelt, that the channels
of trade again will be filled, perhaps
not to the levels of the boom days of
1923 and 1929, but would again carry
satisfactory volume.
1t will be recalled that our ship
ments to Canada in 1880 amounted to
about $900,0O0,OO0. The depression
cut those shipments to approximately
$500, 100000 last year. So, If the pre-
dictions Of the President and Mr.. Mac
Kenzie King are In any way fulfilled, a
considerable traffic is due to begin
upon the operation of this new treaty.
Any discussion of the treaty, how
ever, that failed to call attention to
basic conditions, In my opinion, would
be short OF Its goal. So, it seems to
me that while the President and the
Canadian prime minister hold such
high hope for trade revival, one ought
not forget that trade will not flow If
no market, no demand, exists for the
goods. 1t may well be that by reducing
the tariff duties that must be paid at the
frontier on goods enumerated In the
treaty that reduction In prices Will
follow. 1t may then follow that the
consequent reduction in prices will stir
up a demand for the products. But
that is not certain.
Now from the political standpoint,
examination of the treaty must take
into consideration In
Political dIvldual items. And
Stondp point how those individual
Items affect commu-
nffioo md aoonop,to tnto.one. T. 49,,