Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-04-25
Trade Between
Nations

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program is something that lends
itself to mis-information, lack of
understanding, and t h fore
something upon which politicians
can gain votes by catering to
those who may have been tenn
porarily neglected or hurt.
In the main, it is a program
that certainly ought to be far
ahead of the old tariff log-roll-
ing in Congress which was just
to the liking of politicians who
can say one thing to one group,
and the opposite to another group.
We are striving for world
peace, and in order to bring that
about, we must have better I'M
Outstanding and more coopera-
ton between nations. The re-
ciprocal trade agreements are a
great forward step along that
line. Certainly, the Smoot-Haw-
ley tariff bill did not make for
better understanding between ma
tons and was no asset to Amer
ica The reciprocal trade agree
ments may be out of line here
and there in certain parts of the
nation, but looking at it from a
national standpoint, the broader
viewpoint, and a longtime pro-
gram, that method ought to be,
and must be far superior to the
old log-rolling tariff.
The st. Paul Pioneer Press
published an editorial entitled,
"Roosevelt's Deserved Victory"
concerning the reciprocal trade
agreement program, which fol-
lows:
President Roosevelt and Secretary
of State Hull have won deserved
victory in obtaining from Congress
three-year extension of the recipro-
cal trade agreement program.
The merits of the program would
have been great deal clearer if this
were not a presidential election year,
but most of the republicans, who
fought on the other side this time,
may later on find cause to be thank
full that it was the President and
not they who won.
Politics being what they are, it is
good practical politics for the oppo-
sition to blame the trade agreements
for all the ills that beset agriculture;
but a high tariff policy has never
yet been a panacea for agriculture,
and will not be a panacea in the
1940's any more than it was in the
1920's and early 1905. If the Re-
publicans expect to be in power next
year at this time the one thing more
than another they should want to
avoid is any commitment to start their
new administration with another
Smoot-Hawley blunder. The trade
agreements act is not an absolute as
surance against such a folly, but it
will help.
It is not necessary to swallow the
exaggerated claims of the defenders
of the trade agreements in order to
believe that at this time they repre-
sent the best direction for American
tariff policy to follow. Some details
of some agreements have been posi-
lively bad, and many of the benefits
of the good provisions are being multi
fled by the trade controls and policies
of the warning nations. Moreover,
it is impossible to predict at this
time whether the kind of world to
come out of the war will be favor
able to fair trading among nations,
or whether America will be forced
to take part in a general game of
trade destruction.
But if any nation is going to be in
a position to take the leadership for
sane and cooperative trade among
nations after this war, it will be the
United States. These trade agree
ments provide one very useful meth
cd for opening the doors to new un-
derstanding and confidence among
the nations.
Vice President Garner covered him
self with no glory when he switched
sides at the last moment to propose
an extension of only one year instead
of three. This was the sort of maneu-
yer that would have come naturally
from an opponent of the trade agree
ment program who, facing defeat on
the main point, was trying to save
some shred of prestige. Not con-
viction, but presidential politics die
tated Mr.. Gamers by-play. An ex-
tension of a mere one year would
mean that the next administration,
whatever it is, would 60 into power
facing a tariff controversy which
would bedevil the whole session and