Evening star., 1948-05-27
The Political Mill
Reciprocal Trade Action
By 6. O. P. Called Stupid
Will Create Impression Abroad That
High Tariff Is Coming Back
Rp Gould Lincoln


The Republican House of Representatives
has taken its expected crack at the Reciprocal
Trade Agreements Act and the system of agree.
ments which has been built up over a long
period Of years. 1t does not reflect any great
amount of intelligence or intelligent thinking
on the part of the Republicans Insteaa of
extending the present act a substitute pro-
posal for one year was written into bpl and
passed by the House. While the subkituss
ostensibly keeps the trade agreements system
alive, it undermines the whole, makes admin-
istraton more dificult. and leaves to a log
rolling Congress the final determination, under
certain conditions.
More disturbing than the proposed changes
in the law. however. is the impression which
may be created abroad-an impression that
the United States is going back particularly il
the Republican Party is successful at the polls
in November to the good old high protective
tariff, shutting masses of foreign goods out of
the country.
Mistake Seems Incredible.
OF what earthly use is it for this country TO
pour billions of dollars into recovery program
for Europe and then strangle European indus
try by erecting barriers which will prevent the
sale OF its products in the greatest market in
the world-America? 1t makes no sense what
ever. Further, if the United States sets the
example, other nations will follow by raising
higher and higher trade barriers, until freedom
of world trade will become SO restricted that
another economic catastrophe will take place.
1t seems incredible that the United States
will make such a mistake-or even that the
Republican Party can make such a mistake
again. After the close of the First World War,
and after the Republican Party had taken over
control OF the Federal Government, lock, stock
and barrel, Congress put through high tariff
bill-incidentally the last Republican general
tariff bill ever to 60 through. At that time the
European countries, war torn as today, owed
America and Americans other billions of dol
lars What chance they had of paying their
debts to America vanished into thin air. The
trade war was on and it was a contributing
factor to the depression which swept the great
nations OF Europe and finally brought the
depression Of 1929 to this country-a depression
which was responsible for Republican defeat
in Iceland thereafter.
Same Old Elephant.
Now a second World War is ended, and the
Republicans are on their way back to power.
They already control Congress. and they hope
to control the White House next year. 1t has
been said that the elephant never forgets-is it
possible he never learns? World conditions to-
day are vastly worse than they were in 1929.
Yet the elephant seems inclined to perform in
the same old way.
The veteran Representative Doughton OF
North Carolina, Democrat, formerly chairman
OF the House Ways and Means Committee and
the author of the original Trade Agreements
Act of 1884 commented caustically during the
House debate on the present bill. Representa-
tive Gearhart, Republican. of California, chair
man OF the subcommittee of the Ways and
Means Committee which wrote the bill. has
always been opposed to the, reciprocal trade
agreements program. Mr.. Doughton suggested.
therefore, that for Representative Gearhart to
sponsor bill to extend that program is like
an agnostic trying to revise the Bible
The Gearhart"bil Is more harmful in what
it implies than in what 1t actually does. 1t
continues the present law in effect, with rlodi-
fication, for one year. President Truman has
asked an extension of the law without change.
for three years. The Gearhart bill also curtails
the power of the President to make trade
agreements, providing that If he cuts tariff
duties more than the Federal Tariff Commits
sion recommends, Congress, within so days.
may nullify his action.
II the Senate concurs with the House action,
President Truman will have to determine
whether he prefers no law at all to the watered-
down Republican version, for the existing lew
is due to expire June IL. A veto could kill the
new bill.