Evening star., 1948-01-02
U. n. Trade Delegates
Far From Agreement
At Havana Meeting
By chorles Fernondez
tessisn cerrsspondsnt Of The Ssas
ond The Chieooo Dolly Nsws

and No ck;esse Dolly Nsws
HAVANA, Jan. 2.-The postwar
dream Of one world, with free trade,
full employment and prosperity forI
everybody, 4 still . long way from
realization.
In fact, the United Nations Con-
ference on Trade and Employment. |
sitting here since November 21 tol
find formula for making that
dream come true, u fast proving
that, economically speaking, there
are two worlds.
One consists of the big Industrial
lied powers, the United States,
Britain and France. The other isl
composed Of smaller, relatively un-
developed countries, and means vir-l
tually everything else.
Their dfametricaIly opposed in
terests have created such . acleavagel
that the delegates here are holding
their breath over the final outcome.
500 Attending Talks.
At stake In the undramatic de-
liberations OF the 500 delegates and
advisers assembled here from 81
countries Is an international trade
charter without equal In history
blueprint for economic world peace.
Whether the Havana Conference
can weld the two worlds into one,
under an international trade Or
ganization, is currently the 64-peso
question. Observers believe that the
answer will be fiat mo" unless
the small nations show more will
ingness to sacrifice nationalistic
ambitions for the common goal.
There Is little indication Of that
this week, the sixth Of the confer
ence.
Argentina, Ceylon British self
governing colony, Chile and other
undeveloped countries are still hold
ing out for the right to slap quotas
and licenses on imports without the
approval Of an international or
ganization. These dollar starved
countries contend that it is neces-
sary to protect infant industries and
prevent the depletion of their none
tary reserves.
u. 8. Opposes Barriers.
The United States, rich In dol
lars and potential exports, wants no
quota barriers and argues that their
unrestricted use, will lead to eco
nomic anarchy. Clair Wilcox, act
ing chairman of the American dele
CATION, has warned that hope for.
economic peace is doomed to failure
If restrictions are allowed unham-
pered. He has declared that it is
sheer fantasy to believe that there
is room for two sets of standards.
Ceylon's G. C. S. Corea has re-
torted that the stark reality is that
there are two sets of countries
which must be governed by different
standards. He has said in effect
that there are two worlds.
The import quota and licenses is
sue, the thorniest on the confer
ence's agenda, finally has been
passed to subcommittee after two
weeks debate and 100 speeches. But
it will rise again.
Almost as thorny are the issues
over protection of foreign capital,
preferential trade agreements, and
creation of the trade charter-all
vitality important to the United
States.
The small countries want to re-
strict outside investments so that
their economy will not be foreign
owned, practice Widespread in
Latin America today and OF consid-
cradle concern to American inves-
tors. The United States has pro-
posed a compromise to compei one
country, on request of another, to
enter into negotiations to guarantee
the security of foreign capital.
This would mean bilateral deals
within the ITO orbit.
Over all the deliberations hangs
the question OF how the interna-
tional trade charter, II and when
it Is formed, will enforce its regula-
tions. Will 1t be through economic
sanctions and will barrier be erect
ed between non-member and mem
ber nations?
The harassed delegates, not yet
worrying too much over that one,
still have 600 amendments, in three
languages, to consider = and two
worlds.