Evening star., 1937-07-17
By Lucy Salamanca.
,kTF DEFINITE and immediate
Aeps are not taken to restore
international trade and stabilize

Aeps are not taken to restore
international trade and stabilize
present chaotic economic con-
dittons abroad, Europe is on the way to
unprecedented economic disaster.
If this mad race for armaments con-
centration upon the miltaristic aspects
Of life. and the policy of national
-suficiency which is autarchy, are
not abandoned, nothing can stay the
impending crash. Moreover, the
United States cannot escape the inf1u-
ence Of such a catastrophe.'
Secretary of State Cordell Hull
made this prediction in a decisive
manner. addressing me across the
cleaning expanse of his mahogany
desk. and there flashed through my
mind the realization that foreign dig
nitaries must have sat in this same
black leather armchair beside him, in
this historic room, and, charged with
the responsibility for human happi-
ness and prosperity. heard facts, as I
was hearing them that threatened the
stability of the human race and the
peace Of the world.
You cannot escape the conviction Of
these facts, nor their authority, for
the statesman who utters them has
spoken words that have rung around
the world in the last few months, and
by their strength and wisdom have
arrayed national organizations of men
and women passionately desirous for
peace in the interests of this objective,
and placed his name in the forefront
AS possible recipient of the Nobel Prize
for his outstanding contribution t. the
cause OF peace. They are uttered too,
by man who has long entertained the
economic philosophy tina. they express
and since his early days in Congress
has reiterated his faith in the power
Of improved international trade rela-
tions to establish the understanding
and amity without which nations cam
not deal justly or humanely with one
another.
Secretary Hull is convinced that
healthy international trade, based on
fair play and just dealing and consid-
Grafton of mutual rights and needs, is
essential to world peace.
There has never been such an op-
portunity," Secretary Hull emphasized,
for the great nations Of the world to
step forward and by their example
establish a precedent in international
dealing that can only result in SIM
liar action on the part of smaller ma
tions. With such an example, it would
he far less difficult to bring about
the changed attitude of mind that is
necessary to divert the thought and
effort Of national powers from militar-
istic pursuits to those pursuits which
build permanent peace and prosper
ity.
TRADE rela tons that are based
upon exchange of the surpluses
~ nations and are conducted only in
q spirit of fair play can have as sure
result the promotion of good feeling
and better understanding between the
ations involved. Such relationships
have a soothing. softening. a hui
manizing and mellowing effect upon
one nation in its dealings with an
other"
But other nations answer, In words
direct or involved. that such a pro-
gram for the establishment of world
peace will take too long"
Some Of the nations which are few
arishly engaged in the armament race,
while the entire International order is
severely dislocated, say to me that it
will take too long, that centuries will
be necessary to bring about this
friendly relationship between national
powers the Secretary observed, but
say to them, What is the alterna-
tive?'
There is no answer to that ques-
ton. for armaments and war and con-
tinually recurring periods of economic
disruption, Of instability and chaos
certainly can never contribute to the
aims OF peace. There is no promise of
peace in any channel but exercise of
a philosophy that refuses to concede
that war is inevitable I have said be-
fore that war Is not an act of God,
but crime OF man, and its progeni-
tors are those evil passions that are
engendered by economic distress.
mo people will sdisarm while they
are unemployed or in want, or suffer-
ing. The policy of isolation of
self-containment, of autarchy, that
cuts one nation off from another,