Evening star., 1936-10-08
HULL DENIES CUT
|NFARM EXPORTS
Defends Treaties in Reply to
Landon, Citing Figures
to Show Gains.
N the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
MINNEAPOLIS, October s.-Secre-
tary OF State Cordell Hull replied to
Gov. All M. Landon's recent criticism
of trade treaties last night with the
assertion "our agricultural exports
have increased steadily since 1882"
THE most serious accusation which
our critics make against the trade
agreements program is that under its
operation the American farmer has
been sold down the river" he declared
in an address at the Municipal Audi
torium, where the Republican presl-
dental nominee made one Of his
ma jor speeches.
Gov. Landon and the Republican
National Committee have reiterated
that in the execution of the trade
program the Roosevelt administration
has taken the American farmer out
Of the foreign market and put the
foreign farmer in the American
market.
The unvarnished truth is just the
opposite"
Lays Blame on Tariff.
Hull contended "our foreign
markets" were wrecked under the
Smoot-Hawley tariff and were re-
built under the trade agreement pro-
gram.
From a level Of slightly over ST.
100000 900 in 1892 and 1888" he
said. "our exports rose to $780,
900 900 in 1885 and continue this year
on the upward trend. The increase
In 1885 over the preceding year con-
stituted 40 per cent Of the entire
increase in the combined exports
OF all countries of the world. This
year the percentage Is running even
higher.
Il will tell you when our farmer
was taken out of his foreign markets.
It was when our agricultural exports
slumped from 1882. 900, 900 in 1929
to 1862, 400, 900 in 1882. This occurred
under the Hoover administration.
There has not been 81 loss since that
time.
When was the domestic market
taken away from the American farmer
and by whom? Not by the foreigner
Not in the last four years. when the
total cash income of our farms from
the marketing of crops and live stock
rose from s4328, ,000. 900 in 1882 to
S6,507, ,000, 900 in 1885, not including
benefit payments. The total cash
farm income in 1896, with our trade
agreements in operation, will probably
approximate $500, ,000, ,000.
Says Loss Was Hoover's.
1.-THE real loss Of the farmers domes-
tic market-the loss that Gov. Landon
ignores, the lost that carried our
gross farm income from $11 900, ,000,-
900 in 1929 to $1,000, ,OOO, 900 in 1882,
or so per cent of the farmers entire
domestic market-took place under
the Hoover administration, while more
than $1,000 100000 of that lost
domestic market has been restored
under the Roosevelt administration.
Hull said the IA trade treaties now
: in effect gave the United States tariff
Q reductions ranging up to go per cent,
some complete removal of tariff rates
and extensive liberalization Of import
quotas on one-third Of the normal
farm exports to those nations.
He added:
The world economic log jam il
beginning TO- give way
1T Ia true that in 1885 and during
the present year there has been an
increase in our imports Of agricultural
products" the Secretary asserted.
The increase in 1885 amounted to
&247 ,o00,0 ,000 OF this amounts $75,-
100000 represents wholly non-com-
petitive products - coffee, rubber,
bananas, etc. OF the remainder, ex-
elusive of sugar which Is governed by
international agreement, only $13,-
10000 was accounted for by COM
modities affected by trade agreement.
Practically all the rest came in to
repair the ravages Of drought"
Says Feed Stuffs Needed.
Feed stuffs were imported because
"they were desperately needed by
farmers to save their live stock" Hull
said. and such imports were only
Temporary in character" He added:
"I desire here and now to nail down
the atrocious falsehood to the con-
trary."
Our critics." he declared, "of1er
nothing but . return to Smoot-
Hawleyism that will inevitably destroy
the gains 30 far attained"
Terming peace the Outstanding
question before the world" Hull said:
Through the trade agreements pro-
gram We have striven to divert the at
tention Of the nations from prepara-
tion for armed conflict, born Of
economic misery, to the preservation
Of durable peace, based upon pros
perity."