Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-29
For Jobs and Security

bipartisan rally Tor reciprocal trade may
have been greatly overshadowed here
by other news. But that does not alter
the fact that 1t has placed before the
American people, together with their
representatives in Congress. clear and
powerful arguments for vigorous con-
tinuation Of such trade.
These arguments, as presented by
President Eisenhower with the full sup
port of such outstanding Democratic
leaders as Adlai Stevenson, are based on
two major points that defy reasonable
challenge. The first is that large and
healthy flow of international commerce
is OF very great Importance to our in
ternal economy. And the second is that
it has a vital bearing on the security Of
the United States and the entire free
world
Thus, as far as our economy is con-
cerned, any Gripping or Scuttling of the
reciprocal trade program would jeop-
ardize the jobs of at least as million
Americans engaged in agricultural and
industrial enterprises that can thrive
only If they are able to ship a great
volume of goods overseas. But foreign
countries cannot import from us I'M
less we import from them. If we want
customers abroad, we ourselves must
be customers of those customers. For
it is obvious, as the President has said,
that IF other nations are to buy our
exports to them, they must get dollars
earned by their exports to us. This
means giving them an opportunity to
sell in the American market on a rea-
sonable basis"
Otherwise, If we should set up high
protectionist tariffs against these coun-
tries, they would retaliate in kind; COM
merce between them and us would begin
to Stagnate; and they would be obliged
in an effort to keep their own economies
going-to do business with the Red lands
behind the Iron Curtain. Clearly, COM
Ing at time when the Kremlin is inten-
styling its trade and aid to spread its
dominion, such development would be
grievous blow not only to our domestic
employment, but also to our interallied
security. Mr.. Stevenson has effectively
summed up this danger by declaring that
1t would further weaken our alliances,
further enfeeble confidence in our lead
ership, push the great undeveloped areas
into Communist arms, and in the long
run isolate, imperil and impoveriSh u.s."
So it is for very compelling rea-
sons that the President has appealed to
Congress to renew the Reciprocal Trade
Agreements Act for another five years,
and to do so without amending it into
ineFectiveneSs. OF course, it is true, as
the opposition says, that foreign COM
petition hurts some of our domestic
businesses. The act, however, provides
for special consideration in such cases,
and Mr.. Eisenhower has not exagger-
ated in warning that the policy advo-
Gated by the high protectionists would
destroy far more jobs and job opportu-
mites in agriculture, manufacturing and
transportation than it could possibly
preserve"
Everything considered, therefore,
the reciprocal trade program should be
pushed forward without letup as an en-
terpriSe essential to our economy and
security. Congress can act negatively
on the matter only at the risk of invit-
ing consequences at home and abroad
grave enough to be most pleasing to
the Kremlin.