Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-10
Drive 10 Retain
Trade Act in
Expected
BY ROBERT X. WALSH


In the face OF increasing
criticism Of the Reciprocal
Trade Agreements Act. the nj
seEihower administration VIM
fight TO continue that basic
legislation next year but may
keeommend Legislative changes.
This was indicated today in
White House statements and
letters in a compendium" pub
lished by . House Ways and
Means subcommittee on for
eign trade policy. The 1850
page document is q storehouse
of information and often con-
fiicting opinion from So Gov
eminent agencies. private or
carnations and individual
economists concering this coun-
try's trade and tariff laws.
procedures and policies.
Fight Expected
The Trade Agreement Act of
1894 will expire next June I'M
less continued by Congress. a.
was done in q three-year ex-
tension in 1855. Debate and
amendments at that time gave
clear warning that . further
extension move in 1858 would
encounter still more difnculty.
Contents Of the Subcommit-
tees compendium provide more
evidence Of a major struggle
ahead. Subcommittee Chair
man Boggs. Democrat Of Louis
lana. announced his group viii
conduct q series Of panel dis
cuSSions from December 2 to-
IL.
THE executive branch
strongly favors continuation Of
the trade agreements program.
including the extension Of the
Trade Agreements Act" the
White House statement de-
clared. The life Of the pro-
gram should be extended by
Congress for a suficient period
to provide the essential stability
to the program and adequate
authority to vouchsafe and
expand the gains that have
been made in world trade"
The White House said it also |
will try again to have Congress
authorize United States mem |
bership in the Organization for
Trade Cooperation. orc Is an
administrative unit for the gen. |
seral agreement on tariffs and
trade. GAIT Is an instrument |
by which IS nations hope to
reduce tariffs and eliminate re-
strictions and discriminatory
practices.
May Offer Changes
A letter from Wilton B.
Persons. dupty assistant to the
President, indicated that the
administration may recommend |
some revisions in the Trade |
Agreements Act.
He wrote that "the detailed |
views of the administration |
with respect to the form Of the
trade agreements legislation |
next year viii not be determined
until later this year" He added |
that "for this reason 1t has not |
been possible to include in the
report comments on specific |
features of the trade agree
ments legislation"
The formal statement never
theless emphasized that the adj
ministration "subscribes fully
to the principles underlying
both the peril point and the
escape-clause provisions Of the
Trade Agreements Act" 1t ex-
planned that the Governments
policy has been one Of gradual
and selective tariff reduction. |
one which gives public con-
sideration to each item before |
any reduction in tariffs is made.
and which provides oppor-
tunity for consideration when |
serious injury occurs or is
threatened"
Big Issues In IS
The peril point and escape |
clause provisions were prom
lnent issues In dispute at the
time OF the 1855 extension.
Several of the papers in the
current compendium deal also
with proposals to put on q
permanent basis, instead Of q
periodic two or three year ex-
tension. the power Of the Presi-
dent under the law.
Another source Of argument |
Is whether changes made in
1855 and administration orders
or interpretations since then
have hurt American industry
In particular and world trade
programs in particular.
Samuel Lubell. often asso-
ciated with Bernard Baruch in
observing the economic and
political scene. remarked: In
preparing for next years battle
over extension of the Recip-
rocal Trade Agreements pro-
gram, we might do well TO turn
back our memories TO 1855. j
Actually the continuation in
1855 did little more than leave
things as they were"