Montana labor news., 1938-12-22
TRADE AGREEMENTS
WITH GREAT BRITAIN
AND CANADA
Statement by Senator James e.
Murray of Montana. II-I9-38.

Murray of Montana, 11-19-38.
The new foreign trade agreements
just negotiated by this country with
Great Britain and Canada are being
subjected to severe analysis by
American conflicting interests. Off
hand and without an opportunity to
give these comprehensive agree
ments the close scrutiny they deserve
and must eventually have before a
positive conclusion can be arrived
at, | am led to believe that they will
constitute a great impetus to i'm
proved agricultural and industrial
activity in this country.
It has been acknowledged by lead
ing economists everywhere that our
American system of high protection
destroyed our foreign trade, impov-
erished American agriculture, and
contributed to our national problem
Of unemployment. 1t also increased
the living costs of the masses and,
at the same time, brought about a
tremendous concentration of wealth
in the hands of the few who were
the beneficiaries of that mistaken
policy.
It was our high protective policy,
fostered by the big industrial and
financial interests of the country,
which in a large degree sold the
American farmer down the river. It
resulted in destroying the purchas-
ing power of agriculture and there
by contributed to the downfall of
American industry which fostered it.
The American farmer, under that
tariff system, was compelled to buy
in a highly protected market every
thing which he required and was
compelled to sell his products in an
unprotected world market, which
eventually led him to bankruptcy.
That tariff system proved to be
Of great benefit and advantage to
the industrial interests of the country
which dominated our government,
but it eventually spelled the ruin
of American industry itself and
brought On the great depression. Our
great American mass production
system could not continue under a
system which had so demoralized
the purchasing power of the farmer.
l am in favor of the reversal Of
any such policy which benefits one
section Of the country at the ex-
pense of another and which enriches
one section of our population while
it impoverishes another. l think
that we all, as patriotic citizens,
must come to look at these economic
problems in a more broad and en-
lightened way. We should set aside
all political bias and realize that
most of our American problems are
economic and not political. We
should not allow any political or
%ganization controlled by wealthy in
dustrial and financial interests to
influence our views in the agricul-
tural sections of the nation. We
must consider the general welfare
of the country as a whole and sup
press our selfish motives and de-
sires. What is best for the welfare
of the country as a whole is best
for all of us.
There will, of course, be an at
tempt to discredit this move on the
part of the federal government to
restore our foreign trade. Already
the New England states-the bull
wark of the industrial East-are
criticizing these treaties and claim
ing that they will result in a dis
advantage to the industrial sections
of the country. Other sections of
the nation are likewise raising ques-
tons as to the results to flow from
the pacts as far as their interests
are concerned; and, of course, there
will be a superhuman political effort
to put Secretary Hull in the hole and
accuse him of selling out America
in this international deal. Already
the industrial East is making these
charges. I do not believe there is
any merit in them. II is my idea
that there is no human mind in our
country capable of grasping all the
manifold factors involved in these
treaties and determining at this time
just what results are going to be
achieved. Whether the agreements
are going to be a great benefit Dr. a
serious detriment can only be de-
termined after they have been in
operation over a period Of years.
Selfish interests may endeavor to
sow the seeds of discomfort and dis
satisfaction amongst the people, but
in my judgment they are actuated
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