The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-05-12
WORLD NEEDS FREE TRADE

independence from Britain, they repre-
sented thirteen independent and SOW
ereign states. Each colony issued it's own
money and had the right to set up tariffs
to prevent the sale of the products of all
the other colonies inside it's domain. The
money issued by each colony was Of dubi-
Gus value in the other colonies and, con-
sequently, hampered the development of
economic intercourse between the peoples
of the colonies.
II that condition had continued, after
the formation OF the Federal Union there
would have been no development of the
economy of this Continent 10 compare
with what the years have produced. In
stead of manufacturer in one state be-
ing able to ship his products freely to a
buyer In other states, there would have
been questions of currency valuation and
exchange. in addition to possible prohibi-
tory tariffs, to prevent such business.
Now, if we glance away from our
own continent and look into the Western
part of Europe, we find group of nations
operating economically as the colonies did
before the Union was formed. This
means, for example, that if manufac-
turer i'm Belgium wants to sell some goods
in France, he must not only pay the tariff
levied against his products, but he must
arrange some method to collect the amount
due him for his goods.
Naturally. he cannot accept French
currency unless he wants to- buy some
thing i'm France, because, obviously. it is
not unsable in Belgium If the maufac
turer does not want to buy in France, he
must require the French purchaser to
pay him in the money of third country,
which, under present conditions is usual
~ the dollar or the pound.
1t is not surprising that trade between
the European countries lags far behind
that between the forty EIGHT states of the
American Union Likewise, the economic
development of the European area does
not compare with that which took place
on the American continent. The full
answer may not be found in the tariff and
currency barriers, but many economists
and political students are convinced that
much of the blame for retard economy
is to be assessed against these factors.
I, Recently, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Luxembourg formed customs un-
ion so that they could exchange their goods
without any money difficulties. Now, an
effort is being made to extend the
boundaries of the Union so that France
and Western Germany may be included
The idea is sound and should broadened
to include most of the nations in Western
Europe. In fact, it should be gradually
extended to include all the nations of the
earth.
There is, we think, lesson for the
United States to learn i'm the history of
its own development and the lesser de-
velOpment of other areas. We set the
world an example by establishing high
tariffs, which led to quota restrictions,
currency controls and other barriers to-
world trade. Now, we are suggesting to
the Western nations of Europe that they
act to permit the unimpeded flow of trade
between them and, if we are logical, we
must be ready to assist in the develop
ment of the worlds economy by joining
i'm the effort to facilitate the swapping
Of goods and services between all peoples
Those who oppose the removal of tar
ifs and other trade barriers generally
fear that such removal will injure their
business. This might conceivably be the
result in certain instances, but what the
business men overlook is the prospect that
q greater flow of international trade will
permit them to make more profits than
they now get through the operation of
tariffs, currency controls and other hamp-
ering barriers that stop the flow of COM