The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1933. EASTER AT WASHINGTON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 87, 13 April 1933, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1933. EASTER AT WASHINGTON.

For tfus cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs rztistanot, For the future in the distance, And the good that vs can cU>.

Easter and the clays which follow will be a busy time for President Roosevelt and the representatives of foreign nations who meet him in conference in Washington. The eyes of the world will be on the American capital. If statesmen make full use of this opportunity the approaching* conferences will have a profound effect upon the future affairs of the world. In all countries it is realised that the time has arrived for swift action to avoid worse disaster, and peoples everywhere are in a state of mind which compels their leaders to grapple with great problems.* Piecemeal measures or a policy o£ "nibbling" will be tolerated no longer, but governments must resolve their troubles by co-operation along the Avhole front. The present task is no less than that of settling the war debts problems, and putting an end to or casing economic warfare in the world. The most promising item of news is the report that no topics arc to be barred in the talks between Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, which is the only possible approach. The former belief that -war debts and tariffs could be separated is untenable.

Tariff jDolicies and restrictions to trade have played an unenviable part in bringing nations to their present pass. Under the influence of fierce competitive tariffs international trade has become a virtual whirlpool in which all have struggled vainly to get a larger share, thus stirring up a conflict of interests which goes to show the folly of striving for individual gain by sacrifice of the common good to selfish ends. It has thrust into the background the main purpose of tariffs, which is to protect industry and provide revenue for the Statd, and has given them the appearance of weapons for controlling the "balance of trade." The damage done is beyond calculation. Between the last quarter of 1929 and the same period of last year the total value of international trade was cut down to one-third, and the volume of goods was reduced, at the same time, by 25 per cent, the largest fall in economic history. It was in December last that the price of wheat in Winnipeg touched the lowest figures recorded in any primary wheat market during four centuries; and, though here was an extreme instance, it was indicative of the market collapse which has affected farm products generally. The Secretary of State himself declared in Washington this week that the theory that a moderation of tariffs would flood the United States with cheap foreign products was "antiquated, obsolete and bewhiskpred." He has abundant reason for speaking in this strain, for it is impossible to maintain that the highest tariffs in American history have resulted in anything but harm to the nation. They have crippled the debtor countries, and have driven them to similar action, without helping the creditor, and the United States has seen her foreign commerce dwindle since the onset of the slump to a mere shadow of what it was. America obviously must have the co-operation of other countries if the effort to pursue a more liberal tariff policy is to succeed. ,