Evening star., 1953-12-04
Charles P. Taft Sees
u. ). Near Economic
War With Canada
By l. Edaor Primo

Charles P. Taft. president of
the Committee for a National
Trade Policy, says the United
States has reached "a state ap-
preaching economic warfare"
with Canada.
He blamed this on tariff and
quota complications. Speaking
to the 1900 delegates to the nat
ural resources conference at the
Shorham Hotel last night, the
brother of the late Republican
Senator from Ohio advised the
adoption of a predictable trade
policy.
Mr. Taft criticized proponents
of self-suficiency as sellers of
an economic isolationism" that
is counsel of despair" He as
serted there is no doubt the
United States must rely more
and more on foreign resources,
and in this connection he ad-
vised that "sea power still is our
major defense"
I'VE had better worry more
about Russian submarines than
their atomic bombs" he warned.
In Final Sessions Today.
The natural resources confer
ence today goes into its third and
final day. DR.. Karl T. Compton
of the Massachusetts, Institute
of Technology will preside over
a luncheon meeting. slated to
discuss Resources for the Future,
Inc. DR.. r. G. Gustavson, presi-
dent of the non-profit corpora
ton, will speak.
Also discussing how far the
United States should depend on
foreign resources last night were
Andrew Fletcher, president of
the st. Joseph Lead Co., and
Robert Garner, vice president of
the World Bank.
Mr.. Fletcher argued that eX-
perience and statistics prove that
foreign sources are not reliable
and that, when domestic sources,
in the mining industry, for ex-
ample, were allowed to shut
down, foreign prices skyrocketed.
He urged help for the do
mestic mining industry in the
form of a sliding scale anti
dumping tax (tariff) which, he
said. would give protection when
needed and would be reduced as
the domestic price increased,
until it was completely elimi-
mated when demand was in bal
ance with supply"
According to Mr.. Fletcher.
lead and zinc now are selling in
the United States below the aver
age cost of domestic production.
THE major portion of our
lead and zinc mining industry
will be shut down unless some
constructive action is taken" he
warned.
Cites Colonial Area Change.
Mr.. Garner told the group
many former Colonial areas have
obtained their independence and
are looking for bigger slice of
the pie" BY this he meant they
are no longer content to see their
mineral resources developed and
exported without corresponding
development of other parts of
their conomy-roads, power,
communications and agriculture.
He urged both Government and
private business to note this and
plan accordingly.
The World Bank official said
he doubts the value of govern
ment-to- government loans and
declared that Washington could
facilitate the flow of American
capital abroad by the direction of
It's tax. tariff and trade policies.
He, like Mr.. Taft. advocated
continuity of policy.
Mr.. Garner had a word of
advice to American firms doing
business abroad: Understand
the Importance of public rela-
tions. He added that these firms
could do more to bring home to
local peoples the benefits to the
country from their operations
and in identifying themselves in
all practical ways as part of the
community rather than foreign
ers in transit.