| Show P Prevailing r ev a i I i n g Opinions 0 pin ion s Comm Comment nt of the American Press F Facts on Trade Tre Treaties ties The principle of reciprocal trade treaties as an Instrument for increasing foreign trade is one of the clearly defined issues of oC the campaign It would be In the public interest if the debate of this issue could be conducted on ona ona ona a factual basis the basis the facts being the tho actual results under trade treaties negotiated Hero Here enters the difficulty of getting the facts Only six of the fourteen treaties thus far negotiated negotiated negotiated have been in effect for more than six months Some interesting in interesting interesting in- in results have been ob ob- ob t tamed Ined But the results are in no manner conclusive Available facts tend to show that the treaties treaties treaties trea trea- ties have produced a greater percentage percentage percentage per per- of at gain in imports than thanIn thanIn thanin In exports But while the increase in both exports and imports continues continues continues con con- the increase in imports for the first four months of this year was less than the corresponding corresponding corresponding corre corre- increase last year The treaties will wUl be attacked largely on the ground that they lower the tariff barriers to permit the Importation of competitive agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural products This involves the dispute whether the rather large increase In competitive agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural imports has been due principally to drouth and crop re restrictive restrictive restrictive re- re measures or to the treaties themselves It Involves the additional argument whether the losses to protected interests have been offset by the gains to others At the outset of his reply to the R Republican publican of the thern treaties Secretary Hull presents the argument that they were created created cre cre- as a a. practical agency to todeal todeal todeal deal with an unprecedented depression depression de depression de- de emergency Some of the tho gains incidentally have no bearing on the effect one way or another of ot the treaties They are mentioned merely to bolster the secretary's argument that the same guardians and saviors of American agriculture who let the farmers d down wn to the low point of 1932 are now seeking to gain control control con con- of their destinies again in 1936 The emergency nature of the treaties is indicated by the fact that the president was given only three years in which to complete their negotiation But the treaties are not regarded by Secretary I Hull Hun or others who agree agree with I him as emergent in the tho sense of ot representing a t temporary ent The treaty issue as between the Republicans and Democrats is not their character as emergency emergency emergency emer emer- gency expedients but as declarations declarations declarations declara declara- of oC a a. fundamental tariff policy Governor Landon If It he be follows George Peeks Peek's views will probably probably probably proba proba- bly base a part of his attack on the treaties on the fact that tariff concessions to a treaty nation apply apply apply ap ap- ap- ap ply likewise under the most fa nation clause to other na na- na- na And lit it has already been shown that imports from non- non treaty nations resulting from lowered tariffs have exceeded in some cases the Imports from the treaty nations for whose whoso benefit the tariff concessions were made But Governor Landon should be prepared to show v that these Increased in increased in- in creased Imports have in their competitive effect on American industry or agriculture offset the tho advantages gained through the creation of or new m markets abroad for American products Wash Vash Wash Washington ington Star The Monetary Problem The Lon London on Economist commenting commenting com corn on the worlds world's increasing gold stocks and the effect of oC devaluation devaluation devaluation de de- de- de valuation in many countries on the potential supply of money and credit said recently Unless the lessons of all monetary history are falsified a ver very large rise In prices is In n prospect In short such schemes as Father Coughlin's are arc out of date As gold becomes more plentiful the orthodox economists themselves themselves themselves them them- selves can devise deviso no way to prevent prevent prevent pre pre- pre pre- vent a ris rise in prices unless they abandon the old theory of an automatically automatically automatically auto auto- working gold standard and resort to some method of currency management The ideal is a stabilization so managed managed managed man man- aged that as between producer and consumer mer debtor and creditor creditor creditor cred cred- fluctuations in prices will work no economic injustice This is the great monetary problem of the future The Lemkes and will not contribute to its solution Springfield lican Social Security The Republican candidate for president has little to say for forthe forthe the tho social security program al already already already al- al ready undertaken by the Democratic Democratic Democratic Demo Demo- cratic administration The Republican candidate for tor president as governor of Kansas ansas nevertheless has proposed to the legislature of the state that it prepare to take a advantage vantage of the federal social security program even if it remains as now That would seem to make Mr Landon a somewhat wiser man as governor than as candidate Houston Chronicle A Friendly Hint Americas America's nostalgia for the simpie simple simple sim sim- pie life lite is great But there are problems that must be faced Many of ot them are arc those of at a modern industrial nation They have to do with the tho intricate question question question ques ques- tion of how far government shall go in the regulation of at business Before the campaign is finished the danger of a gigantic steel strike may focus all eyes on tho the tremendous question of labor re re- re lations Some of these problems Kansas has never had to solve olve Governor Landon's advisers will servo him ill if they overplay the rural simplicity angle Christian Science Monitor |
