VISITING UNITED STATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21561, 4 August 1933, Page 8

VISITING UNITED STATES

As the first stage of their homeward journey. New Zealand's delegates to the World Conference are sailing to-morrow for New York."The Prime Minister, it has been stated, will, while in the country, discuss trade relations between the Dominion and the United States. Doubts h-ave been expressed whether there is anything to be gained or anything to, expect from such a venture. To judge by Mr. Roosevelt's early professions he should be eager to negotiate with any country offering an opening for trade. His recent statements and policy decisions indicate him to be so completely absorbed in domestic affairs as to be barely conscious of ,an outside world. His book, "Looking Forward"— which, the preface states, is essentially a compilation of articles written and speeches made before his inauguration in March gives a chapter to discussion of the tariff. Mr. Roosevelt heartily denounces the prohibitory levels duties reached under his immediate predecessors. The effects, he declares, were to deal overseas trade a deadly blow, and to inspire a whole series of retaliatory measures by other countries. He remarks that it prevented America's, debtors from paying in goods or services, that the efforts to pay in gold caused an exchange debacle which throttled American commerce and wrecked domestic price levels. Coming to his remedy for the situation sketched, the President says: "We can create a competitive tariff, which means one which will put American producers on a market equality with their foreign competitors, one that equalises the difference in the cost of production." Accompanying a reduction of rates, he suggests, there should be negotiation to secure a lowering of tariff walls by other countries. On these professions any country should feel there was hope in sending a delegate to discuss trade relations with the United States. On the other hand, there stands Mr. Roosevelt's absorption in domestic affairs, already noted, and the considered American criticism that his price-raising policy would work only behind the most drastic tariff walls the country had ever seen. Too much, therefore, should not be expected from Mr. Forbes' visit to the United States.