NEW TRADE PACTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 24 November 1938, Page 9

NEW TRADE PACTS

VIEWS OF BRITISH MINISTER ONE GLEAM OF SANITY IN WORLD DOOR NOT CLOSED TO OTHER COUNTRIES (British Official Wireleael RUGBY. 22nd November i The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Oliver .Stanley, addressing the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to-day, described the new trade agreements with the United States as the one gleam of sanity in a world rapidly qualifying for bedlam. The agreements were not. in his view, inconsistent, but supplementary to Ottawa, which was never meant to show other countries the tragic sight of a closed door. Proceeding. Mr Stanley said that when the King visited Canada and the United States next summer, he would find much that was the same in all three countries, namely, common ideals of toleration and moderation, a common desire for justice and security for all, and a common belief in the individual. with all his desires for hap- : piness. peace and freedom. ALIEN IDEALS "It is no business of ours," said the Minister, “what other people adopt as their own creeds, but when they are alien to our characteristics and detestable to our ideals, then surely we are entitled to say, at the right time, "Thus far and no further.” Referring, in a speech in the House of Commons, to the treaties. Mr Stanley said that the concessions accorded by Britain to the United States would be extended equally to all other foreign countries, and he understood that the concessions ac- ; corded by the United States to Britain : would be extended equally to gl! j foreign countries with the exception j of Germany. ; With regard to the new trade agreei ment with India, Mr Stanley said ; that negotiations had reached an advanced stage. The whole matter was at the moment under consideration by the Government of India, as a result of its recent discussions with its un- ! official advisers. j In giving this information to the House of Commons, Mr Stanley added that he hoped that active negotiations would be resumed shortly. RECIPROCITY NEEDED ! The most-fa voured-na tion clause figured in several questions addressed to Mr Stanley in the House of Commons to-day. In explaining his unwillingness to accept a suggestion for the abrogation of the clause in all treaties, Mr Stanley restated the considered view of the British Government that the maintenance of the principle of most-favoured-nation treatment was essential for stability in commercial relations. He adedd a warning, however, to the effect that Britain would not propose that such treatment should be accorded indefinitely to any country wh eh was not prepared to meet reasonable requirements regarding the treatment of Britain. Mr Stanley told the House of Commons that no negotiations with Czechoslovakia were in progress or contern- 1 plated, and. when further questioned.' replied: "Had it been likely that we could have made a successful treaty with Czechoslovakia, no doubt we should have done so. but we did not think there was any basis for such a treaty." reciprocal Agreements NEGOTIATIONS BEGI N BY UNITED STATES i O P.A.— By Electric Telegraph -Copyright! NEW YORK. 23rd November. The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times” says that the Secretary of State, Mr Hull, has begun ! informal preliminary discussions with Peru and Argentina regarding the pos- [ sibility of the negotiation of reciprocal agreements. The Secretary of State emphasised 1 to the Press that no conclusions had I been reached and that consideration was being given similarly to negotiations with other countries. At present! formal negotiations are proceeding with! Venezuela and Turkey.