Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-03-09
Economic Disarmament.

Economic Disarmament.
Secretary Hull is discovering that the
biblical injunction that it is more blessed
to give than to receive does not command
universal approval among the farmers,
merchants and manufacturers of the
United States. Any doubt on that score
will be removed by the impending hear
ings on the proposed reciprocal trade
agreement with Great Britain. So many
diversified interests, which fear their
particular oxen may be gored, have ap-
: piled for their days in court that the
State Department has found it neces-
sary to hire four Of the largest halls in
Washington. Beginning March IA, pub
r lie sessions on the give-and-take aspects
Of the projected compact will occupy
the major part Of the ensuing fortnight.
while the Department of Commerce au-
editorium, the hearing room of the Tariff
Commission hotel ballroom and the
auditorium Of the National Museum
echo to the pros and cons of favors to
be granted and those to be demanded
before Uncle Sam and John Bull seal
0 new deal in trade.
BETTING the fact that it involves our
biggest export market and the country
which ranks near the top among those
from which we import, an agreement
with Britain rivets more attention than
any of the seventeen other pacts already
concluded, the latest of them. the agree
ment with Czechoslovakia, signed on
Monday. Attesting the paramount in
terest attached to arrangements with
London is the fact that twenty-four
members of the House Of Representa-
tives, one member of the Senate, one
governor of State, one State govern
ment, three mayors of cities, and repre-
sentatives of score of farm, industrial
and labor organizations have applied
for time to present the claims of vir-
tually every branch Of agriculture and
commerce. The hearings are sure to
turn quaint light on the eccentricities
Of economic human nature. There will
be vigorous lamentations against the
perils that Turk in letting down our
tariff bars. The curious quirk in this
exhibition Of more or less enlightened
self-interest, If the hearings run true to
form, will be that protests against con-
cessions to the foreigner will be equaled
In righteousness only by demands for
maximum favors from him.
The latest jewel in Mr.. Hull's diadem
Of reciprocal agreements, the bargain
Just sealed with Czechoslovakia, typifies
the ideal which motivates the Secretary
Of States program of economic disarma-
ment. 1t is thoroughly fifty-fifty prop
osition. We grant the land Of Masaryk
tariff benefits on sixty-three items, COW
ering imports which last year totaled
$le,552,00o. American exports on which
the Czechs extend concessions amounted
IN 1896 to $30,000,oo0. Summarizing the
Prague governments action, the State
Department points out that probably
no other country has gone as far with
s in attempting to open the way for an
expansion Of trade by the removal or
retaliation Of special controls on i'm
ports, other than tariff duties"
A happy ending was achieved respect
ing the highly controversial item of
shoes, which are Czechoslovakias prin-
cipal export to the United States. We
grant tariff reductions ON them ranging
up to fifty per cent, accompanied by
treaty safeguards against excessive i'm
portations. The pact is important and
valuable In itself. It is gratifying new
evidence that, given the spirit of fair
play and the square deal, trade rec
aprocity can be converted from an as
ptration into q mutually profitable,
peace-breeding reality. Americans well
come the latest reciprocal agreement not
least from the standpoint that it be-
tokens our desire to promote czecho-
slovakia's economic stability at a mo-
ment when ominous clouds are gather
ing on her northwestern horizon.