Show national affa affairs irs britte tor for the park record by PRANK FRANK P LITSCHERT perhaps the most important finding ot of the recent world economic conference ellit which c h has just made its Is report to the cornell ol of the league of nations Is the one which embodies the suggestion concerning the lowering of national tariffs 11 jibe lie question of ft tariffs was one of the mos important under discussion and v nau nac the conference to nd id has apparently brought to a number of our international fice traders in the knitel states concerning commerce dr declared that the conference recognized in principle the necessity ol of liberating Later international national trade from all artificial bar ailers and obstacles especially those which arise from high customs duties the time has come to pu put t an end to moves in the opposite direction the report suggested greater stability in tariff rates with EL a gradual reduction of tariffs to be obtained by the action ot of the various states or by treaties among them it was this recommendation which has met with uch hearty approval irom from our own free traders it is not likely that the utopia of free trade will be realized soon even in europe in germany the land ol of dr who was prom prominent anent in the conference there has been a consistent I 1 demand ol of late tor for even higher tariffs especially from the agricultural interests and the other european nations are apt to hold on to their tariffs so long as they leel feel that they can 0 obtain any national advantage thereby there can be little doubt that the customs barriers which arose after the world word war have hampered trade in europe A number ot of new find and J in i soma some cases case etiny tiny states originated in the peace treaty and each ot of these quickly built up tai iff barriers to increase revenues it may be that a way eventually will be found to eliminate some of 0 these barriers without injuring the development ot of the individual nations but because reciprocity might be effected eld fechte between austria and czecho sio cakl a to the benefit ot of both nations would not mean that the same thing can be done between either of t these h e S a nations and the united states for the central european countries have one standard living an and ad the united states has another in america the fire are not only well led fed and well housed but prosperous in ili many ways wars some ot of them are becoming capitalists in a small way in central europe conditions are tar far different there the workmen do not ride to work in their won automobiles and they are satisfied when they earn enough to buy toed foad and clothing and to pay the rent 0 4 00 0 01 tile the differ difference elice in the wage scale and in living conditions in europe and america ca Is too well known to need comment and because ot of this difference reducing the united states tariff Is EL a tar far different thino thing it cannot be done without r ous au injury to the nation until european workers are well as the workers in america to go on a low tariff basis before such time would surely mean the reduction ot of the american wage scale and the american scale ot of living to the european level and while this adjust ment was being made there would be idleness starvation and perhaps trouble the american capitalist and the american wage earner legalize this that Is why any european decision as to the elimination ot of the tariff ba barriers will find but little response in the united states I 1 |