Evening star., 1940-02-11
Trade Pacts Stand as Symbol
OF New Deals Foreign Policy
Assignment of Welles to Europe Seen as Step in
Program for Restoring Peace and
Stabilizing Economy
By Marquis ". -Childs.

By Marquis
When Congress finally votes on the
administraton's trade agreement policy.
the stage will be much greater than the
mere issue Of whether the power to bar
ter tariff concessions shall be continued.
TO President Roosevelt and Secretary
Of State Hull the trade treaties stand
Is symbol Of American foreign policy.
II the right to continue negotiation of
trade treaties with foreign governments
after June II is denied by the Senate or
the House, this will stand as repudia-
ton Of Roosevelts whole course in the
foreign field. The net effect of those
treaties on the American economy is,
Of course, slight. But such an instru-
ment for trade negotiation represents
in the minds of those who shape our for
eign policy . method for remaking the
economy Of the world along national
and democratic lines.
The ideal of q rationalized world
economy is in the background Of every
act and every statement of responsible
ofdcials in the administration, from the
President on down. It is the only line
Of consistency in what seems, otherwise
to be not 50 much q deliberate policy
Is . course steered by indirection and
subterfuge.
The President and his advisers can
not take as direct a line as they would
like because they are subject to control
by Congress and the people. And both
IN Congress and In the country at large
there is considerable opinion against
participation in any foreign venture,
whether q war or those measures short
Of war" that the President proposed last
year to employ against aggressors and
dictators. Recently Roosevelt has been
accused Of neglecting domestic problems
and concentrating all his interest and
attention on Europe and Asia.
Mr.. WelIes' Mission.
The President is apparently convinced
that Americas role in foreign affairs
should not be merely passive one. On
Friday he announced that Undersec-
retary of Safe Sumner Welles would go
abroad to make a first-hand survey of
the European situation, thereby confirm
ing, In part at least, recent reports that
Mr. Roosevelt would make an important
gesture before the rumored deadline for
the German air attack on Britain.
Mr.. Welles, according to the President,
Is merely to be an observer. But the
President would hardly send an oficial
of Mr.. Welles' stature abroad as a re-
porter, particularly since he has already
in key. diplomatic posts representatives
IN whom he places great trust. Those IA
smiliar With the trend Of American foreign
policy believe that when Mr.. Welles re-
turns. the President may make a ges-
ture for peace that would be a moral
backdrop against which the long threat
ened blitzkrieg would be carried out.
? The Presidents closest advisers hope
to see him take a prominent. perhaps
the leading. part in the reorganization
Of the world that must come with peace.
They see him as the only leader in whom
the people Of the world have confidence,
the only American with sufficient knowl-
edge and background to do the required
job.
Neither the President nor Secretary
Hull has said definitely how he would
reconstruct world economy. Neverthe-
less. In recent statements and speeches
there Is more than a suggestion that
this country must take part in forming
q new world order. The great mistake
at Versailles, Mr.. Hull holds, was the
attempt to reshape the political map
without any regard for realignment of
economic forces. 1t is as though the
President and his immediate advisers
were seeking to prepare the American
public for new American role A sig
nificant expression of this. broadly gen.
eralized, was contained in President
Roosevelt's letter to the Pope Just before
Christmas.
Similar Note In Messaxe.
TN these present moments" he said,
mo spiritual leader, no civil leader can
move forward on a specific plan to ter
inmate destruction and build anew. Yet
the time for that will surely come"
Somewhat the same note vas sounded