No legislation or no Congress. prior to the advent of the New Deal. whether Republican or Democratic. has ever given the President a free hand in tariffmaking. in no past legislation has it authorized him under general powers to conclude reciprocal foreign trade treaties. without also requiring that before becoming operative such treaties should first be ratified by Congress. and in no past legislation has it given the Executive specific power to make reciprocal trade concessions without first providing the instruments that he could use in tariff bargaining. The effect of these agreements so far has been to take the home market which rightfully belongs to American farmers. away from them and give it to foreign producers. and these cheaply produced foreign products have been sold in the United States in competition with domestic production. If this loss of the home market continues after the war. when millions of our boys return from foreign battlefields. we will again see unemployment rampant and the farmers and workers of this country will be reduced to the standards of living of many European and Asiatic countries. This is not partisan argument. it is American argument. Our leaders should forget political partisanship in the drafting of a sound and beneficial program for the future welfare of American agriculture. and for the future welfare of American labor.
Identified stereotypes
European and Asiatic countries have lower standards of living.