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Show GERMANY, ITALY SEEK TRADE IN SOOTH AMERICA WASHINGTON, March 29 l'.R Germany and Italy were reported report-ed today to be embarking on, a "post Madrid" trade offensive in South America. Diplomatic information that Germany and Italy would use the triumph of the nationalists in Spjain to attempt to strengthen their economic and political influence influ-ence in the western hemisphere, increased concern here. The announcement of an Argentine-German barter deal whereby where-by Germany traded 64 locomotives and many railway cars for 100,-000 100,-000 tons of wheat and 8,000 tons of wool had had a disquieting effect. ef-fect. There were reports other barter deals were pending. . Encounter Difficulties Meanwhile, the United States counter-offensive in Latin America, Amer-ica, marked by recent success in negotiations with Brazil, encountered en-countered congressional difficulties. 1. The house appropriations committee knocked out a $250,000 item in the agriculture department appropriations bill, intended for use in strengthening agricultural representation . throughout Latin America and to inaugurate scientific scien-tific research programs to encourage en-courage development of inter-American inter-American commerce in non-competitive commodities such as rubber, rub-ber, quinine, and hardwoods, now supplied by the orient. 2. Senate passage of a sugar bill for the primary, benefit of mainland producers was regarded as likely to damage Cuba and prove an obstacle to devision of the present United States-Cuban agreement. 3. The drive of domestic vegetable vege-table oils interests for higher excise taxes worried several trade-agreement trade-agreement counties;, an amendment amend-ment to defer 'the proposed increases in-creases wh'en in conflict with trade aggrements, will be considered con-sidered .by the senate finance committee Thursday. Practical effect of these developments devel-opments has been to arouse uncertainty un-certainty in Latin America as to how far the United States will "follow through" on its trade program. |