Evening star., 1938-11-19
Trade Program Debate
Seen in Next Session
Of Congress-
Leaders Of Industry and
Agriculture Disagree
On Pact Benefits
Ry the Associated Press.

On f0Ct benefItS
Hs the Associated Press.
Conflicting viewpoints expressed
on the new British and Canadian
trade agreements by businessmen
and political leaders foreshadowed
today lively discussion in the new
Congress.
The comments ranged from bit
ter criticism to unStinted praise.
Those of Congress members, for the
most part, followed party lines,
Democrats praising the agreements
and Republican questioning their
value to the United States.
Any discussion in the next Con-
gress will almost necessarily be in
the nature of an informal review,
because the Reciprocal Trade Act
gives the President and the Secre-
tary of State authority to con-
summate agreements without Senate
ratification.
Members of Congress who are dis
satisfied with the results, however,
may press for an amendment to the
law so as to give the legislative
branch a veto power over future
agreements.
Some members of both political
parties expressed the opinion in the
last Congress that all the agree
ments should be subject to Senate
ratification. Others have proposed
that the effective date of trade
agreements be held up pending their
examination by Congress.
Hope Others Will Follow.
State Department officials were
hopeful that British and Canadian
acceptance of Secretary Hull's
cherished policy of bargaining down
International trade barriers would
encourage Argentina, Australia, the
Union of South Africa and New Zea-
land. among others. to negotiate
similar trade treaties with this Gov
ernment. Realization of their hopes
would bring to % the total number
of such pacts.
Exploratory discussions have been
carried on already with all four
countries. The discussions with
Argentina have been apparently
dormant, however, since they en-
countered difficulties over Argen-
tina's foreign exchange policies.
The outlook for formal negotia-
tions with Australia, which once was
placed with Germany on the United
States economic blacklist because
of alleged discrimination against
American goods, is believed to be
good.
Leaders Approve Program.
A group of leaders in banking. in
dustry and commerce expressed gen.
eral approval of the new agreements
during radio broadcast last night.
They included Gerard Swope, presi-
dent of the General Electric Co.;
Winthrop w. Aldridge. chairman of
the Chase National Bank, George
H. Davis. president of the United
States Chamber of Commerce, and
Alfred P. Sloan, jr., chairman of
General Motors Corp.
On the other hand, Russell T.
Fisher. president OF the National
Association of Cotton Manufac-
turers. declared the administration
had traded away employment in
textiles"
The National Association of Wool
Manufacturers told it's members in
a statement that severe blow"
had been delivered to the industry.
Arvid L. Frank, chairman of the
Trade Agreements Committee of the
Automobile Manufacturers Associa-
ton, contended that every home in
the Nation would be benefited di-
rectly or indirectly.
Henry A. Wallace Secretary of
Agriculture, praised the trade agree
ments program. but said it could not
substantially relieve the problem of
cotton surpluses.
Farm Leaders Disagree.
Expressions from farm leaders
were somewhat at variance. Edward
A. O'Neal, president of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, contended
farmers would obtain distinct bene-
fits. Louis j. Taber, master of the
National Grange. said he hoped the
agreements would aid agriculture,
but asserted that the reciprocal
tariff program had not done so in
the past.
R. H. Cabell. president of Armour
& Co., commented that the trade
agreement "in some particulars
should result in benefits to the meat
trade and to American livestock pro-
ducers."
At the Capitol Senator King, Dem
ocrat, of Utah saw the agreements as
boon to trade in general" while
Senator Frazier Republican, of
North Dakota contended they would
be of mo advantage to farmers"
Senator Borah, Republican. of
Idaho remarked that cursory ex-
animation disclosed new benefits to
American trade, and several admin
istration supporters such as Senator
Logan, Democrat, of Kentucky and
Representative Mead, newly elected
Democratic Senator from New York,
expressed enthusiastic approval.