Evening star., 1944-02-13
Plot 10 Copy Amtorg
Charged by La varre
In Quitting Trade Posi-

Administration foreign trade
policies, as fostered by wartime
economic agencies, are "a deliberate
scheme for wrecking all American
private enterprise and personal ini-
tiative in international commerce
and substituting the Soviet form
Of state-owned commerce." accord
ing to william La Varre, who re-
signed yesterday as chief OF the
American Republics Division Of the
Commerce Department.
Mr.. La Varre, writer on Latin
American affairs for many years,
has been chief of the division since
April, I941.
Principal targets of Mr.. La Varre's
charges were Vice President Wal
lace, Leo Crowley, chief OF the
Foreign Economic Administration,
and Mr.. Wallace's friend" Milo
Perkins. executive director Of the
defunct Board of Economic War
fare. now in private business.
The broadside was contained in
a letter to Senator Byrd, Democrat,
Of Virginia, in which Mr.. La Varre
asked the Senator's advice on the
form and manner of his resigna-
ton.
Likened to Amtorg.
Saying that he had no quarrel
with Secretary of Commerce Jones,
or other members Of his department,
Mr.. La Varre cited specific examples
OF "subversive activities" which he
declared were designed to put loyal
American exporters out Of business
and pave the way for collectivized
system of foreign trade patterned
after the Russian Amtorg trading
set-up.
Il am not" Mr.. La Varre wrote
however much I admire the Rus
sian peoples fight for national ex-
1stence, a Russian. I do not sub
scribe to their economic ideologies
or policies as something we must
adopt or perish. I have witnessed
constant attempt to change the
heritage of private enterprise and
personal Initiative into a system of
soclal1stlc, collectivistic commerce
patterned along the formula of Rus
sias State-owned Amtorg Corp, to
do away with our established pri-
Vate-brand names and to promote
the future commerce of the United
States exclusively through State
owned corporations"
THE record will show" Mr.. La
Varre wrote, that the Board of
Economic Warfare and, now, the
Office of Foreign Economic Admin
istration, usurping the administra-
ton of projects which Congress
originally delegated to the Depart
ment of Commerce, under the guise
OF war necessity, have been waging
secret war not against our ma
tional enemies so much as against
American businessmen and the ex-
port industries of the United States"
Hits Young Agents.
Infiltration of inexperienced, bun
Cling proteges of the Vice President,
Mr.. Crowley and Mr.. Perkins into
high-salaried draft-exempt jobs as
representatives of emergency eco
nomic agencies headed by them,
was denounced by Mr.. La Varre.
While inexperienced young men
were being sent as agents to the
other American republics, men with
many years experience in our neigh
boring countries were being drafted"
he wrote.
Mr.. La Varre described as a ma
lodorous phenomenon" Mr.. Crow
ley's dual jobs as foreign economic
administrator, promoting United
States interests, and Alien Property
Custodian, trustee for Axis holdings
in this country.
Mr.. La Varre said he was resign
Ing 10 free himself of the gag on
criticism of executive agencies i'm
posed by the President He said he
intends to devote his time to warn
ing businessmen of the impending
perils to American business.
His resignation is effective Tues