Evening star., 1955-01-10
Eisenhower Message Asks Freer World Trade

continue TO cooperate with pri-
vate travel agencies.
One legislative action that
would be beneficial In this field
is the increase Of the present
duty-free allowances for tourists
from $500 to $1,000 exercisabie
every six months. recommend
the passage Of such legislation.
TRADE FAIRS.
international trade fairs have
been of major Importance to
foreign countries for many years,
and most of the trading nations
have strengthened the promo
tional aspects Of their industrial
displays in many fairs with q
central exhibit designed to EN-
phasize the industrial progress
and achievement of the nation.
Soviet and satellite exhibits.
for example. have been costly,
Well-planned and housed in ex-
pensive structures designed to
convey the impression that the
u. S. S. r. is producing on q
large scale for peace and is
creating q paradise for workers,
The United States, which has
q larger volume Of international
trade than any other nation,
| until recently has been con-
spicuolis by its absence at these
trade fairs American visitors
and participants have pointed
out the failure Of their Govern
ment to tell adequately the story
of our free enterprise system
and to provide effective inter
national trade promotion CO.
operation.
As q result, / have undertaken
an international trade fair pro-
gram under the direction Of
the Department of Commerce
Since the Inauguration OF this
program In August, participa-
ton has been authorized in IL
fairs to be held before June 80
! Sixteen additional fairs are be-
ing considered for exhibition
purposes in the latter part of
the year. The first fair In which
the United States presented q
central exhibit Is that at Bang
kok. which opened December Z,
1854. At it our exhibit was
awarded first prize. Over 100
American companies supplied
| items for inclusion in it.
I shall ask the Congress for
funds to continue this program.
CONVERTIBILITY.
Convertibility Of currencies is
required for the development Of
a steadily rising volume Of world
trade and investment, The
achievement of convertibility
has not been possible in the post
war period due to disloca:ions
caused by the war, imitation and
other domestic economic difficul-
ties in many countries, which
have contributed to an lmbal-
ance in international trade and
| payments. However. steady
progress, particularly by Western
European countries, is peing
made toward our mutual OBJ
jective of restoring currency
convertibility. The foreign eco
nomic program proposed here
will make an important COM
tribution to the achievement Of
conyertibility.
AGRICULTURE
I No single group within Amer
lea has a greater stake in a
healthy and expanding foreign
trade than the farmeys One
fourth to one-third Of some
major crops, such as wheat, cot
ton and tobacco, must find mar
kets abroad in order to maintain
farm income at high levels.
If they are to be successful,
programs designed to promote
the prosperity Of agriculture
should be consistent with our
foreign economic program. We
must take due account of the
effect of any agricultural pro-
gram on our foreign economic
relations to assure that 1t con-
| tributes to the development Of
healthy, expanding foreign mar
kets over the years. !
/ CONCLUSION.
/ The series of recommends
tions ] have just made are all
components Of an integrated
program. pointing in a single
direction. Each contributes to
the whole. Each advances our
national security by bringing
added strength and self-sufi-
cheney to our allies. Each con-
tributes to our economic growth
and q rising standard Of living
among our people.
: :.