The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-09
kopplemann Upholds
 Reciprocal Trade
Scores Republican Opposition; Foreign Markets Bene
 fit Connecticut Industries, Statistics Indicate
Special to the Democrat)

WaSnlngton, ID. o., Feb. 8-Repub- lican opposition to the extension of the Reciprocal Trade law was scored !n the house this afternoon by Representative Herman P. Kop- plemann, member of sthe first dis trict of Connecticut, who answered an attack made on the law the day previous by Representative Allen T. Treadway of Massachusetts. Kopple- mann, whose district adjoins Tread- ways has frequently clashed with the Massachusetts member on poli- cies affecting similar interests in their respective districts.
 Charging Treadway land his CO., horts" with paying lip service ito the encouragement of foreign trade and the reciprocity idea" Repre- sentative Kopplemann argued that the amendments they proposed would obstruct effective operation of the Trade Agreements law.
 Foreign Trade
 Kopplemann cited figures of for eign trade operations between the years of 1929 and 1882 and compared them with the increase in foreign trade since the enactment of the Reciprocal Trade act.
 New England, he said, suffered a decline of 72% in its export trade between 1929 and 1882, the figure having fallen from $20O,0OO,0OO to $57, 100000. Connecticut exports alone dropped from $53, 1000, ,OOO to $15, 100000, Koppleman said.
 Since the Reciprocal Trade law, the foreign markets have reopened for many Connecticut products, he stated.
 Answering Treadway's charge that insufficient opportunity was given for public discussion before treaties were promulgated, Kopple- mann asserted that representatives "of Connecticut industries were in constant touch with governmental departments and had every oppor- tunity to present their views in de- tail"
 "The important concessions ob- tained for Connecticut products un- der the various trade agreements could not have been obtained if the United States, in turn, had not made some reciprocal concessions. These reciprocal concessions have been on carefully selected products with a view to avoiding injury to es- tablishe domestic industries.
 Concessions
 "It might amaze the members who claim to be opposed to this bill to find how many concessions have been granted for products for their respective states" he added.
 The Reciprocal Trade program is part of the recovery program mapped out by the Roosevelt Ad- ministration, and increase in for eign trade is following the upward trend of national and farm income. Opponents of the Reciprocal Trade law "have considerable to say about the loss of foreign markets Of farm products" Representative Kopplemann said, but make no mention of the effect of droughts on agricultural exports. The worst period for agricultural exports was d..ring 1929 to 1883 when exports of agricultural products fell from $1, ,693, ,000. 900 to $662, ,000, 0,00O."
 Since 1882 there has been grad ual increase in agricultural exports which were valued at $747, ,000, 900 in 1885, and are estimated to be greater in 1936," he said.
 Preserve Ainity
 Trade agreements are important not only economically but also for the preservation of international amity, according to Congressman Kopplemann, himself an active member of the so-called peace bloc in the House, and sponsor of a neu- trality measure which is coming up for consideration before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. "The trade agreements program Is an at. tempt to rebuild a sound and healthy trade which will promote