Evening star., 1938-03-13
US. TRADE Accord
FOUGHT IN BRITAIN
Foes Cite London's Failure
to Give Interested
Parties a Voice.
Special Dispatch to The star.


LONDON. March IL (NANA).-
viscountess Miner. editor and pro-
prietor Of the well-known monthly,
the National Review, has released to
the North American Newspaper Al
lance advance extracts from the
March issue of the review in which
the proposed trade agreement between
the United States and Great Britain
Is discussed
Quoting the Journal of the National
Union of Manufacturers, an important
English trade organ, the National Re-
view voices its own opposition to the
agreement, pointing out that the
British government, unlike the Gov
eminent Of the United States, did not
consult British manufacturers and
agriculturists before beginning the ne
gotiations.
Article Is Quoted.
The National Review, which repre-
sents the views Of an influential Sec
ton Of the British community, says:
AN article on Anglo-American
trade appeared in the journal of the
National Union of Manufacturers for
February. This organ represents the
ideas Of British manufacturers, and
what it says is well said The view
taken is n broad one-'We cannot pos
sibly give the Americans the kind of
thing they will ask for without reduc-
ing, firstly, the amount Of the prefer
ence which Dominion goods receive in
the United Kingdom markets, and
United Kingdom goods in the Do
minion markets: and, secondly, with
out reducing the amount Of protec-
tion which United Kingdom trade
goods enjoy in the home markets.
In other words, we must reduce
our own and Dominion employment
and destroy part Of the work done
at Ottawa. The article goes on to
say, We cannot see what concession
the Americans can possibly afford to
offer us in return and If they could,
on balance, compensate us in one
way or another, what authority the
Board Of Trade have for forcing
through q transfer of trade and en-
ployment which > must inevitably
cause dislocation and distress
Political Motive Discounted.
I'VE are told, says the writer, that
the motive behind this movement is
political, to bind the two great democ-
racies together in view OF the grow
ing menace to dictatorship
this answer rather undertakes
the intelligence both of the democ-
racies and the dictators.' The democ-
racies are not likely to be profoundly
stirred by something which
looks uncommonly like bribe,' while
the dictators will view with equanim-
ity an arrangement which. if it is
concluded, will weaken England and
the empire, Just at a time when eco
nomic strength is most needed, while
If 1t is abortive will not improve the
relationship between the democracies.
The latitude of the president of the
Board Of Trade does little to alIay
anxiety He implies that the i'm
perial preferences will be reduced in
substance by emphasizing that it is
to be preserved in principle British
interests are not informed as to
American demands, but American in
terests are informed of British de-
mands.
The president of the Board Of
Trade recently dismissed the appre-
hension Of British manufacturers as
complete nonsense. But the Iegiti-
mate anxiety felt by the manufac-
turers Of this country cannot be abol-
ished in this airy way. The govern
ment has apparently no trade policy,
it is ready to play with the Ottawa
preferences. and to reverse the Joseph
Chamberlain policy. But it is to be
hoped that those who know the coun-
try's needs, and who have not for
gotten the empire, will succeed
through Parliament if ministers re-
main invincibly ignorant-in prevent
ing the serous mischief which is at
present threatening 80
Interested Parties Not Called.
British manufacturers and agricul-
turists have not been called into coun-
sci by the president of the board of
trade in this all-important question of
the proposed trade agreement with the
U. S. A. The American Government
have acted differently. On January
8 their trade experts published list
OF A pages of goods, including goods
already on the free list, about which
the U. S. A. are ready to negotiate,
provided there is no objection from
their own nationals. Interested par
ties were given six weeks in which to
send their views in writing to Wash
ington.
THE public hearing Of objections is
to commence on March IA. Repre-
sentations need not only concern arti-
cles already listed; they may refer to
any article of potential interest to
American trade from Great Britain
or the British Empire. The British
Empire listed for this purpose includes,
beside the colonial empire, all the
territories inundated to Great Brit
ain. The Irish Free State is not in
cluded in the list. It will be remem-
bered that Mr.. Cordell Hull greeted
the Free State in 1880 as Europe's
youngest republic Mr.. Hull's list Of
4l6 categories of goods includes a
huge variety Of products and manu-
factured articles.
Under Pressure Since War.
This anti-imperial trade policy,
which was designed by its real au-
thors to weaken the British people
and to disintesrate their empire, is
part Of the great push brought against
us since the war and which has, owing
to the moral weakness of successive
governments and the fatigue of those
who fought, been partly successful in
obtaining its object.
'"The people of the U. S. A. are not
at all to blame for the mischief now
being made between the two countries
The trouble Is here, and it comes from
much the same source As the Geneva
propaganda. Let US consider what
a.