The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-13
Middle Eastern Trade

| When the war is over and the nations of the
world reframe their commerce structures will
| there develop cut-throat trade war between
Great Britain and the United States in the
Middle East? The question is disturbing many
an ordinarily serene mind and causing traders
on both sides of the Atlantic to lose much
Sleep
One observer on the ground sees no reason
for apprehension. Under date of Feb T. Joseph
C. Harrison, in a dispatch from Cairo to the
Christian Science Monitor, writes: To-day l
was talking with one of the best informed
American officials in this part OF the world,
and was told categorcally but frankly that
the British have shown unmistakable readi-
ness to cooperate with Americans here after
the war;"
His informant added, he says, that such
working together must depend upon the United
States having a definite commercial and eco
nonic policy The British have framed theirs
and know what they intend to do when peace
comes. With the exception of few far-sighted
business men, America has no such policy.
Obviously it is up to Washington to decide
right quickly WudL COOpSI dLIOu anu SLSOOI age
ment is to be given our traders, if we as a
nation and people are to have our full
share of postwar Middle East trade.
Mr. Harrison's summary of the situation is
clearly put, particularly on Middles Eastern
petroleum development He writes:
IF America and Britain work out mutually
satisfactory trade policy toward this part Of
the world, it is not unreasonable to assume
other countries will be able to fit in this
scheme peacefully. One Of the biggest tests
of this dete~~- ION to follow peaceful trade
policies will be to overcome the oil question
''It would be ridiculous to deny some British
Businessmen and officials have not been disturb
ed over the growth of American participation
in the exploitation of the Mideast petroleum
reserves Other officials however, recognize
the inevita bility of this development in the
light of American apprehension over the rapid
consumption of domestic oil resources. The
discovery of new fields in Arabia, Egypt, Per-
sa and Irao = ''~1ce there is enough petrO-
leum in the Mideast to keep everybody busy.
while American oil companies and the Unit
ed States Government have joined hands in
the proposed development of Mideastern Pc
troleum stocks, it is generally seen that oil
provides special case where Americans are
concerned and that there would not be any
such vigorous cooperation between industry
and government in fostering American COM
mercial interests in the Mideast along other
lines
perhaps the most hopeful concrete sign
of American and British ability to cooperate
economically is that provided by the Mideast
Supply Center Through this agency Washing
ton and London have registered at least three
major successes. First they have helped short.
en- the war by saving shipping space, and by
intelligent direction of local production. Sec
ondly, they have softened the shock OF the
war on the Mideast's economy. Thirdly, they
have succeeded in keeping alive many Brit
ish and American, as well as local businesses,
and agencies which would have folded up if
they had not been nursed through this period
OF restricted trade