Evening star., 1936-12-06


example will not be in vain. -
Fifth. The peoples Of this re-
gion have . further opportunity.
They must make headway with .
liberal policy Of commerce, which
would lower excessive barriers to
trade and lessen injurious discrim-
nations as between the trade Of
different countries.
This means the substitution Of
. policy Of economic benefit. good
will and fair dealing for one stimu-
lated by greedy and short-sighted
calculations Of monetary advan-
tage in an impractical isolation.
It would have most beneficial ef-
fects, both direct and indirect,
upon political difficulties and an
tagonisms.
A thriving international COM
merce, well adjusted to the re-
sources and talents o. each coun-
try. brings benefit to all. It keeps
men employed. active and usefully
supplying the wants Of others. It
leads each country to look upon
others as helpful counterparts TO
itself rather than as antagonists.
Resources and Productive
Power Of Other Countries.
It opens up to each country. to
the extent mutually profitable and
desirable, the resources and the
organized productive power of
other countries; by its benefits
small nations with limited terri
tory or resources can have varied,
secure and prosperous life; it can
bring improvement to those who
feel their toll too hard and their
reward too meager.
Prosperity and peace are not
separate entities. To promote one
Is to promote the other. The eco
nomic well-being Of peoples is the
greatest single protection against
civil strife, large armaments. war.
Economic isolation and military
force 60 hand in hand: when ma
tions cannot get what they need
by the normal processes of trade,
they continue to resort to the use
Of force.
A people employed and in a
state of reasonable comfort is not
a people among whom class strug-
giles, militarism and war can
thrive. But a people driven to
desperation by want and misery
IS at all times a threat to peace,
their conditions an invitation to
disorder and chaos, both internal
and external.
The intervening years have given
added significance to the economic
program adopted at the conference
at Montevideo three years ago.
That program Is today the great
est potential force for both peace
and prosperity. Our present con-
ference should reafiirm and secure
action upon this program Of eco-
nomic intelligence.
One feature Of the resolutions
adopted at Montevideo was the
support for the principle Of equal
ity OF treatment as the basis Of
acceptable commercial policy. This
rule has been followed in a number
Of commercial agreements that
have already been concluded be-
tween American nations. Their
benefits are already becoming
manifest and will continue to
grow.
We cannot blind ourselves to the
fact. however. that at the same
time there has taken place even
among the American nations q
growth In the restrictions upon
trade and an extension Of dis
criminatory practices; these have
tended to counteract the advan-
tages resulting from the liberaliZ-
ing terms embodied in other agree
ments.
would urge again the wisdom
of avoiding discrimination in our
commercial policy.
The practice of discrimination
prevents trade from following the
lines which would produce the
greatest economic benefits; 1t in
evitably in the long run must pro-
woke retaliation from those who
suffer from discrimination: makes
it more difficult for countries eager
to pursue q liberal trade policy to
secure the fair gains from this
policy and thereby checks the low
ering Of restrictions.
1t will not serve our broad and
deep aims; on the contrary, II