QUICK ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18878, 23 February 1933, Page 7

QUICK ACTION

WORLD PROSPERITY. UNITED STATES’ MOVE. MR ROOSEVELT’S FREE HAND. TWO ADMINISTRATORS CHOSEN. EARLY WORLD CONFERENCE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. The House of Representatives today voted to give Mr. Roosevelt sweeping power to reorganise the United States Government. A message from New York states tiiat Mr Roosevelt this evening named Mr Cordell Hull, member of the Senate for Tennessee, as his Secretary of State, and Air William Woodin, of New York, as Secretary to the Treasury. Swiftly-moving events in foreign relations and domestic affairs compelled Mr Roosevelt to make these appointments. Messrs. Hull and Woodin will immediately confer with the emissaries from foreign nations on war debts and world economic problems.

This announcement from New York and Mr Roosevelt’s conferences with the British and French Ambassadors, Sir Ronald Lindsay and M. Claudel, have led economic experts to predict that the groundwork is being surveyed with a view to reaching important decisions on world economic questions concurrently with war debt negotiations. Low Tariff Protagonist.

Mr Hull is a veteran member of Congress and a recognised expert on tax and tariff matters. He has always adhered to low tariff policies, and thus is qualified io negotiate on the complicated tariff problems arising out of the Ottawa Conference, with a view to implementing Mr Roosevelt’s Uresis of a revival of world trade tbrough tariff adjustments.

Mr Woodin accepted the Treasury pest after Mr Carter Glass, member of the Senate for Virginia, had declined it. According to present indications, tiie conference in Washington will include only the principal nations interested in international trade, and will be preliminary to the World Conference. As envisaged here it will in effect constitute (to use League of Nations parlance) a “council” of the economic conference, while the meeting of the delegates from 67 countries later will he the ' assembly.” Support of Hoover Governmont. The present preparations have been undertaken with the full consent and co-operation of the Hoover Administration and its departments are compiling the data which will he used. It is understood that during this week M. Claudel and Sir Ronald Lindsay will start conversations with Mr Hull and other Roosevelt leaders. Thus the coming Administration will actually be functioning before its Inauguration. No explanation of this unusual procedure is forthcoming. A rumour that the crisis in the Far East might be responsible for the desire to work with all possible speed is generally discounted. The most logical supposition is 'that Mr Roosevelt considers the world situation requires haste and wishes to get the machinery operating as quickly as possible in readiness for the special session of Congress, the date for the convening of which has been tentatively fixed for April. World Economics Paramount. It is believed that if tentative agreements regarding world financial matters can he reached in Washington, the decisions can be elaborated and extended among the nations of Ihe world. It is understood that Mr Roosevelt formulated the plan after he learned that Britain could make no economic commitments in connection with war debts before she knew what Hie oilier countries would do. Therefore bo subordinated for the moment 'the debt problem for the larger issues of world economics. The importance with which Mr Roosevelt regards the matter of imperial trade agreements is indicated by his action in calling Ihe Canadian Minister, Mr W. D. Herridgo, into conference. The participants in today’s conferences are extremely reticent.

According to New York reports, they admitted only that they had discussed world economies. Mr Roosevelt said: “Everything is in the preliminary stage, but everything is getting on well.” The inclusion of M. Claudel resulted in the conclusion Ihat, nothing effective could lie accomplished without France. It marks the resumption of Hie negotiations which were broken off following Ihe default of France in her payment on December 15.

Mr Cordell Hull, who is 6 1 years of age, was admitted lo the Tennessee liar in 1891. lie was elected to Congress in 1907. He was chairman of the Democrat National Executive Committee, 192 I-2 1. Mr William 11. Woodin, a New York City manufacturer, is president of the American Gar and Foundry Company, a director of steel and locomotive works ami of the Federal Deserve Hank. He is an enthusiastic supporter of Mr At Fmilh, who was Democrat candidate for the Presidency in 1928. Through Mr Smith Mr Woodin became an active Democrat worker.

Shingle Company, and assisting generally the Publio Trustee in the administration of the affairs of the estate. Mr Patrick Ward has, by liquidation of the Whippet Company, lost his employment and Is entirely dependent on his share of the estate. While recognising that in an estate of this nature, whether remunerative or not, substantia) death duties must be paid, the petition submits that it is fair and equitable that compensation should be made to members of the family in the form of a refund of such part "of the death duties as may be considered just. They accordingly ask that the House should cause an inquiry to ho made into the matters mentioned and ihat Hie petitioners should be hoard before a committee of the House.

WAR DEBTS ISSUE. NEED OF CO-OPERATION. SIR JOHN SIMON’S VIEWS. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Fob. 21. Referring lo the war debts question during a speech at a dinner of the Pilgrims’ Society in London, Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary, said Llic British Government was fortunate lo have been aide lo make contact with Hie President-elect of Hie United Slates before he assumed office on March 4. The British Ambassador to Washington bad returned 'to New York after his visit to London in full possession of Hie views of the British Government and had just, reported lluil lie had had a useful interview with Mr Roosevelt yesterday. The conversations at present wee in a wholly preliminary stage and of an entirely general character, but it was not too soon to say they believed that by a frank and intimate interchange of views between the British Government and the United states over Hie whole field of current economic problems Hie way would best be prepared for the effort which Hie countries of Ihe world must make together to assist in promoting the world's recovery.