Evening star., 1940-04-27
Allies Pledge Steps
] 10 Lessen : Impact
On American Trade
Announcement Ignores
Dispute Over Censorship
Of U. S. Mails
BY GARNETT D. HORNER.

~ NAA1SANNA ~ AAO1SANASASs
The United States today had
British and French pledges to les
sen In every practicable way" the
impact on American commerce Of
the allied economic warfare against
Germany and to return to liberal
trade policies "at the earliest pos
sible moment"
The promises were announced by
the State Department last night in
q statement summarizing the re-
suits Of conversations between
American ofIicials and two allied
economic experts who came here
March 6 to help the British and
French Ambassadors ease the ten
sion over interferences with United
States trade.
This Government made 1t clear,
the statement emphasized, that in
discussing steps to mitigate the in
convenience to American interests
in some cases 1t still reserved "all
of its rights under international law
and is not to be understood as ac-
cepting any principle of interfer-
ence with bona fide neutral trade"
The allied experts taking part in
the conversations were Frank Ash
ton-Gwatkin, adviser to the British
Ministry Of Economic Warfare, and
Prof. Charles Rist, former deputy
governor Of the Bank of France and
now economic adviser to the French
Ministry of Blockade.
Mail Dispute Ignored.
Their promises. couched mostly in
general terms, dealt principally with
problems arising from the allied
blockade of German exports and
restriction on imports of American
agricultural products. The an
nouncement on conclusion of the
talks ignored the dispute over CEN
sorship Of American mails, against
which this Government has pro-
tested.
In general, the allied representa-
tives declared that their govern
ments desire to diminish the in
conveniences caused to neutral trade
and interests In every practicable
way SO long as this does not lessen
the effect of the contraband con-
troll in all Its branches which the
United Kingdom and France con-
slider an absolutely necessary part
of the war. ."
More specifically. they indicated
exemptions would be made in the
blockade Of German exports to en-
able American importers to obtain
some goods impossible to buy outside
OF Germany, and promised to main
tain purchases of American agri-
cultural products "at as high q level
as Is compatible with the circum-
stances in which they (the al.ies)
are placed"
Restrictions Held Temporary.
The allied trade restrictions were
described as "of an entirely tempo
rary character" with promises that
"at the earliest possible moment the
French and British governments
would return to liberal commercial
policies based on the principle of
the progressive reduction Of trade
barriers and to world trade con-
Quoted on a multilateral basis" in
accord with Secretary of State Hull's
trade agreements program.
In regard to the blockade of Ger
man exports, the statement said. the
allied representatives stated that
they realized these measures had
created hard cases" and promised
re-examination of applications of
American importers for exemptions
which had been turned down.
French and British consular officers
will receive future applications for
exemption "in respect of categories
of goods which afford matter for
special consideration and are unob-
tainable elsewhere than in Ger
many they added. This refers to
optical and precision equipment
particularly.
Discussions concerning allied pur-
chases Of American agricultural
products, curtailed since the war in
order to conserve foreign exchange
for war materials, will be continued
IN Washington, London and Paris,
1t was said.
Mr.. Ashton-Gwatkin and Mr.. Rist
pointed out here total exports from
this country to Great Britain and
France are increasing 'and that in
consequence products essential to
the conduct of the war must neces-
sarily be given preference =
In the matter of foreign exchange
and shipping