Evening star., 1939-04-02
u. S.-Turkish Pact
Cuts Across Reich
Drive 10 East
New Agreement Signed
At Ankuru Provides
Mutual Tariff Cuts
BACKGROUND

bel1eDer IN HberdHsed trade rs
means to peace. indugurdted re-
ciproc1l trade program in 1884,
after passage OF act BY Congress.
Tuenty-one agreements. aDith 20
nations, haze been negotiated TO
date. but the Csecho- SloDak
agreement ras suspended after
Germdny's seizure OF Bohemia
and MoraUia. Tariff provisions
in Nicaraguan agreement also
are IN suspense.
BY the Associated Press.
The United States and Turkey
yesterday pledged mutual tariff cuts
on numerous products in a recip-
rocal agreement which cut across
an intensive German trade drive
to the East.
The agreement. formally con-
cluded at Ankara, represented the
first extension of the administra-
tion's reciprocal trade program into
the Near East.
The goth nation to sign such an
agreement with the United States.
Turkey obtained ~ per cent of all
her imports last year from Ger
many, through barter arrange
ments, and only los per cent from
this country.
The tariff concessions cover a
large proportion of the total Amer
ican- Turkish exchange of goods.
which amounted last year to ap-
proximately S31 100000.
The United States agreed to re-
duce duties on numerous Turkish
agricultural and other products, and
Turkey cut duties on American man.
ufactured goods.
Turkish Cuts Sharper.
The most important American
products affected were motor We
hicles and parts, radios. electric re-
frigerators, Office equipment, sew
ing machines, sheet metal, lubri-
eating oils, cattle hides, goat and
kid upper leather, prunes and
canned asparagus.
American tariff rates on imports
from Turkey are to be reduced on
cigarette leaf tobacco. high-grade
dried figs, seedless raisins, pistachio
nuts. shelled fllberts. handmade ORR
entail rugs, licorice extract, GYM
balls and crude meerschaum.
In addition. the agreement con-
tinues the present American duty
on poppy seed, and binds on the
free list raw materials such chro-
mite, sausage castings. and undressed
hare and marten skins.
In announcing the agreement, the
State Department noted that the
volume of trade affected by Turkey S
concessions was smaller than that
affected by American reductions, but
explained that Turkeys cuts on i'm
portant items were sharper.
Effective May 5.
The agreement becomes effective
May S and is to continue indefinite
ly, subject to two months notice of
termination until the end Of 1941,
and six months notice thereafter.
Like other trade agreements, the
pact provides for unconditional
most favored nation treatment and
extension to other countries of the
mutual tariff concessions.
The Turkish reductions ranged
from go to 88 per cent below the
general rates of duty on automo-
biles, radios and certain other prod
ucts. Reductions of from IL to IS
per cent were made on refrigerators,
typewriters. calculating machines
and filing cabinets. Still other
American products will enjoy S
per cent reduction.
OF the American concessions, the
tariff was reduced from IS to 80
cents a pound on unstemmed ciga-
rette leaf tobacco, which is not pro-
duced in this country. Such i'm
ports totaled $11,125,0 900 last year,
accounting for about three-fourths
of all imports from Turkey.