The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-19

Opposition TO the trade agree
meut policy isn't really serious, but
from the nature OF the questions
which Woodruff put 10 Secretary
Hull, It Is possible to get an linking
Of what's bothering the people who
try to make o case against what Is
really one Of the most constructive,
the most helpful to business pro-
grams Of the entire Roosevelt adj
ministration.
Wouldn't the United States be
better off, asks Congressman Wood
ruff, II, after the war Is over, our
hands were not tied BY any trade
treatiesp
Since we've been In the war, the
Woodruff thesis continues, the costs
Of labor have gone up and the Unit
ed States has reached a wage stand.
ard that will be prevalent for q long
time to come. This leads TO the
belief that the American standard
Of living Is now being raised still
higher than its previous levels and
that poses the question Of how this
country can continue TO compete
against the lower costs Of produce
ton In other countries, after the war
Is over, unless new tyade barriers
are erected?
AT THE TARIFF
CROSSROADS
From there, the question leads 10
Offering a choice to the American
government Of either following q po-
Icy that will give manufacturers Of
this country absolute control over
domestic markets, or further expert
menting in trade policies In an eff
fort to bring peace to the world,
even II the cost Of that action Is to
be the loss Of the American stand
ard Of living.
AS q matter Of fact this whole Is
sue resolves itself ultimately into the
old argument Of high tariff VS.. low
tariff and In any such argument. the
Republicans are additionally sup
posed to be high church while the
Democrats are supposed to be low
church.
Today's reciprocal trade agree
ment policy isn't q partisan issue
and Is not an experimental policy
either, for It has worked to increase
American exports and increase Am.
erican trade with every nation that
has signed an agreement with this
country.
TRADE IN THE
POSTWAR WORLD
The contention that renewal of
the trade agreements policy would
tie the hands Of the United states
government in promoting world
trade after the war Is worth pretty
close scrutiny.
When the war Is over, the United
States will unquestlonably be the
strongest nation In the world, ply
sically as well as commercially. It
will have the least war losses, the
greatest productive capacity. But II
the United States Is to say at the
end Of this war that It Is to be
bound by no rules now on the books,
1t doesn't take much imagination to
figure what kind Of a cut-throat.
chaotic world competition there will
be.
Every agreement that tends to
promote international trade will be
something to hang onto for dear
life, as stabilizing influence. Every
one Of the % nations with which the
United States has reciprocal trade
agreement in force will know what
1t can expect as treatment for its
exports, as long as these agreements
remain In force. II the agreements
are to be repudiated by a change In
American trade policies however,
here will be the most disrupting In
huence. working against any restor-
alton Of world trade.
The American living standard
need not suffer by retention Of the
reciprocal trade agreements policy,
either. BY providing q market for
the exports Of other nations, the
United States through trade agree
ments Is insuring that there win be
a market for American exports In
the foreign countries with which we
do business.
But the contention that the Unit
ed States is self-contalned nation
which can shut its doors against the
products Of other nations dies hard.
Even the shortages Of rubber and
tin and hundreds Of other strategic
materials have not taught us that
the United states. too. Is q have
not nation In many respects. and
must go out into the world market
places and bargain for the very
things It needs to maintain its
undetermined high standards Of
living.