Evening star., 1943-04-05
Report
Reveals Hull Plea
On Reciprocal Trade
Bid High Lights Testimony
For S189, ,729, 400 Sought
By Three Departments
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Secretary of State Hull told
Congress today that the United
States must demonstrate now its
sincerity of purpose" and will
ingness to bear it's share of re-
sponsibility in world affairs by
extending the administrations
authority to write reciprocal
trade agreements.
His opinion was laid before the
Nations lawmakers when the House
Appropriations Committee released
testimony on new sl89, ,729, 400
financial measure, hundling up funds
for the State, Justice and Commerce
Departments for the fiscal year
of 1914
Secretary Hull's testimony. describ-
ing the reciprocal trade agreements
as Of paramount Importance in
prosecuting the war and framing
the peace. came as the Ways and
Means Committee scheduled hear
ings on the extension act for one
week from today.
Changes won't Be Easy"
Many changes in the political
and economic organization of the
world will be necessary to achieve
firm foundation for lasting and
enduring peace MI. Hull told the
Appropriations Committee. TT will
not be easy. but it is not impossible.
We shall strive to that end
Since Pearl Harbor, he told the
committee, I'VE have come long
way, but we all know, abundantly
well, that we have long way to do"
The Reciprocal Trade Act, under
which this Nation and another
country may lower tariff barriers
by mutual arrangement to swell the
flow of commerce. was first passed
in 1884 and has been twice extended.
Secretary Hull said 80 such trade
agreements thus far have been ne
gotiated and three more are being
studied with Iceland, Bolivia and
Iran.
Secretary Hull assured the COM
mlttee that the State Department
by every means at its command will
continue to put down the forces of
aggression, to succor and sustain
our Allies and the unfortunate VIC
TINS of the ruthless forces of dark
ness and to demonstrate to all peo-
Piles that they themselves may come
to know that the principles for
which we stand as enunciated in the
Atlantic Charter and in the declara-
ton by the United Nations are not
merely play on words, but sound,
workable tenets, affording through
united effort practical plan to the
solution of the worlds political,
economic and social ills"
Expire June IL.
With the authority for the recip-
rocal trade agreements due to expire
June II and with legislative bat
tie already brewing on the issue, the
Secretary of State said that he con-
sidered it uncomfortable" that the
act would not be extended, because,
he said, it will be vitality needed:
l. ITO open up foreign markets
for American products during the
postwar period and thereby,
2. Help maintain domestic pros
perity and full employment during
the difficult postwar readjustment
period, and,
3. In the light of the program
and principles subscribed to by this
Government and in the Atlantic
Charter, the United Nations declara-
ton, and in more than a dozen
lease-lend agreements, to enable the
United States to occupy the position
OF leadership now in laying the
groundwork for postwar, worldwide
economic reconstruction"
The appropriations bill carried
s33.358,l06 for the State Depart
ment, sl02,657,3O0 for Justice De-
partment and s53,714,OOo for the
Commerce Departmental reduction
OF S17,895, ,155, from the amount rec
commended by the Budget Bureau
and $6,188,100 less than last years
allotments.
The total will boost the, amount
thus far voted by the House this
year to s7,346.093 497, the greater
part of ---..cn mas prc.. .larked
f." vI1e war.
1,200-Page Record.
Secretary Hull's testimony, given
on February 8, provided the high
spot of the 1900 printed page record
(See APPROPRIATIONS, A-ll.)