Evening star., 1947-03-06

this atmosphere of doubt and hesi-
tation, the decisive factor will be the
type OF leadership that the United
States gives to the world.
We are the giant of the economic
world. Whether we like it or not,
the future pattern of economic rela-
tons depends upon us. The world
is waiting and watching to see what
we shall do. The choice Is ours.
We can lead the nations to economic
peace or we can plunge them into
economic war.
There must be no question as to
our course. We must not 60
through the l930's again.
Won't Repeat Mistakes.
There Is abundant evidence,
think, that these earlier mistakes
will not be repeated. We have al
ready made a good start. Our Gov
ernment has participated fully in
setting up, under the United Ma
tions, agencies of international CO.
operation for dealing with relief and
refugees, with food and agriculture,
with shipping and aviation, with
loans for reconstruction and devel-
opment, and with the stabilization
Of cufrencies. And now. in order to
avoid economic warfare, cur Gov
ernment has proposed, and others
have agreed, that there be set up,
within the United Nations, another
agency to be concerned with prob
lens and policies affecting world
trade. This is the International
Trade Organization.
The organization would apply to
commercial relationships the same
principle Of fair dealing that ths
United Nations Is applying to politi-
cal affairs. Instead Of retaining
unlimited freedom to commit acts
Of economic aggression, its members
would adopt a code of economic
conduct and agree to live according
to its rules. Instead of adopting
measures that might be harmful to
others, without warning and with
out consultation, countries would
sit down around the table and talk
things out. In any dispute, each
party would present its case. The
interest of all would be considered,
and fair and just solution would
be found. In economics, as in in
ternational politics, this is the way
to peace.
The work Of drafting q world
trade charter was begun by the
United States. It was carried for
ward by a preparatory committee OF
Is nations meeting in London last
fall. It should be completed at a
second meeting of this committee
in Geneva, beginning on April 10.
Leads to Cooperation.
The progress that has already
been made on this project is one OF
the most heartening developments
since the war.
If the nations can agree to OBJ
serve code of good conduct in in
ternational trade, they will cooper
ate more readily in other interna-
tional affairs. Such agreement will
prevent the bitterness that is en-
gendered by an economic war. It
will provide an atmosphere con-
genial to the preservation of the
peace. ...
AS E. a part Of this program, we
have asked the other nations of the
world to join us in reducing bar
riers to trade. We have not asked
them to remove all barriers. Nor
have we ourselves offered to do so
But we have proposed negotiations
directed toward the reduction OF
tariffs, here and abroad, toward the
elimination of other restrictive
measures and the abandonment of
discrimination. These negotiations
are to be undertaken at the meet
ing which opens in Geneva next
month. The success Of this program
is essential to the establishment OF
the International Trade Orgarriza-
ton, to the, effective operation OF
the International Bank and the
Monetary Fund, and to the strength
of the whole United Nations struc-
ture of cooperation in economic
and political affairs.
The negotiations at Geneva must
not fail.
Devoted to Free Enterprise.
There is one thing that Ameri-
cans value even more than peace
It is freedom. Freedom of worship
freedom of speech-and freedom
Of enterprise. It must be true that
the first two of these freedoms are
related to the third. For, through
out history. freedom of worship and
freedom of speech have been most
frequently enjoyed in those societies
that have accorded q considerable
measure Of freedom to Individual
enterprise. Freedom has f1ourished
where power has been dispersed. It
has languished where power has
been too highly centralized. So our
devotion to freedom of enterprise
in the United States, has deeper
roots than desire to protect the
profits Of ownership. It is part and
parcel Of what we call American.
The pattern Of international trade