Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-11-15
ny CREsToN n. Mullins.

| "taToPACdo NACtO1ACo VI lIc
supporters In congressional and sen.
atoriai races.
Popular mandate to continue de-
velopment Of reciprocal trade agree
ments along lines set down by Secre-
tary Of State Hull during the last two
years and half has been read into
the election returns.
Reciprocal trade agreements were
q primary issue in the campaign
throughout the Middle and North
West, and came in for secondary
treatment on the Pacific Coast and
In Florida. In Minnesota and Wis
consin opponents Of the reciprocity
program were returned to Congress
In Florida, too. two original opponenti
Of the program were elected, but vic.
torious candidates in wyoming, Ne.
braska, Iowa, Colorado and Idaho fol-
the most part favor the trade policies
now ruling.
Senators Carey of Wyoming. Dick
inson Of Iowa, Hastings Of Delaware
Metcah Of Rhode Island and Barbour
Of New Jersey. all vigorous opponents
OF the reciprocity program, who cam
| paigned against it, went down to
defeat.
Extent Of Policy Unknown.
indicative Of the intention TO pursue
the detectives of the New Deal even
further was the cry of President
Roosevelt In his Madison Square
Garden speech near the end of the
campaign that the fight had Just
begun In series Of progressive meas
ures, OF which trade reciprocity is
one. This was followed by Secretary
Hulfs post-election statement inter-
preting the heavy vote as a mandate
OF the people on trade as well as
neutrality and other foreign policies.
How much further the directors OF
foreign policy intend TO 60 in Their
efforts to liberate international trade
OF hampering restrictions will not be
known until the bill for renewal OF
the trade agreements act of 1894
which expires next June, Is presented
to the incoming Congress.
That the scope of the program will
be broadened beyond the Is countries
with which agreements are in force or
being negotiated has been repeatedly
indicated. Although winning over
such strict import regulating coun-
tries as France, Belgium, Netherlands
and Switzerland has made a deep dent
in Europe's trade barriers, such poten-
tally good markets as Germany.
Great Britain, Italy and Eastern and
Southeastern Europe remain outside
the reciprocity program. In each case
serious obstacles remain.
Perhaps most likely of all these To
be brought within Mr.. Hull's circle OF
reciprocal traders Is Great Britain,
economic relations with which are
being carefully studied at the State
Department for the possibility of ar
irving at q satisfactory basis for mu-
tual reduction of tariffs.
First among obstacles to such an
agreement is the Ottawa agreement
and empire preference and the fact
that the commodities which Great
Britain can take from us in greater
quantities-mostly agricultural prod
ucts-already are subjects of pref
erential arrangements with the do
minions, and their permission is nee
essary in abandonment of preference
in order to enable England to buy
more from the United States.
Hope for Agreement.
1t Is hoped. however, that a basis
for agreement may be found even
before expiration of the present act
IN June. Such an agreement, If care
fully negotiated, would be a major
victory for Hulls trade policy.
Germany presents q much more
serious problem, with her persistent
refusal to accord unconditional most
favored-nation treatment, a funda-
mental tenet of the Hull program
INSTRUMENTATION treatment was
abandoned more than a year ago al
her request. and since then a minol
trade war has been in progress, with
the United States withholding tariff
concessions as they are extended to
the rest of the world, on the charge
that Germany discriminates against
American goods.
That the Reich Is approaching q
crisis in her battle for national self
sufficiency has been indicated more
and more, particularly in denuncia-
ton by DR.. Hjalmar Schacht, presi-
dent Of the Reichsbank, of barter a,
barbarian" The German problem Is
one of the most critical facing State
Department foreign trade oficials
Italy Is In much the same position
as Germany. and negotiations for an
agreement have only recently been
resumed here after the break caused
by the embargo on arms shipments
during the Ethiopian campaign.
Field in Latin America.
Expectations for expansion Of the
program lie chiefly in some of ths
Latin American countries which sci
us more than they buy from US, anc
which offer possibilities of enlarged
trade. We already have agreement.
with seven.
Most prominent among countries IN
the Western Hemisphere with which
the United States has trade problems
is Argentina. Special arrangements be-
tween Argentina and number Of
European countries-notably Great
Britain in the Runciman-R occa agree.
ment which is being renewed thi:
month-provide for preferential allo-
| cation of exchange In payment fol
imports. This constitutes discrim:na.
ton against the United States, exports
from which are paid for only after
money has been provided for other
creditors of Argentina.
The charge Of discrimination has moi
been all on our side. however, and thu
Buenos Aires government has long pro-
tested our sanitary restrictions against
imports of Argentine beef because Of
the presence Of the foot-and-moutf
disease in some regions Of that coun-
try.
May "a, 1885, an agreement was
signed between the two countries fol
the application Of such restrictions by
regions rather than by. whole coun-
- A-~A 49,