CURRENT LITERATURE
REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE Prepared by P. E. P.
The problems of world trade have ceased to be merely the concern of manufacturers and traders ; they link up with the most vital interests of every citizen, in particular the securing of good and rising standards of living and the maintenance of world peace. These problems are now in the forefront of political discussion, at least in the -demo- cratic countries, for it is widely felt that such questions as the conclusion of an Anglo-American trade treaty, the success of M. van Zeeland's mission, and the modification of Ottawa in the light of the needs of world trade will not merely affect the economic well-being of the nations concerned, but may have import- ant bearings on the appeasement of international stresses and strains. P.E.P. timed its report (8s. 6d.) to appear at a singularly opportune moment when both the Imperial Conference and the " Oslo " group of countries were dis- cussing intra-group policy with par- ticular reference to the freeing of world trade. The report makes a number of wholly practical recommendations on Britain's economic foreign policy and on her technique of overseas trading. The anonymous collaborators obviously brought to their voluntary task a very considerable fund of experience in this field, and the report will be of great value both to those who need a line on general policy, and to those who occa- sionally need a reference book on the complexities which now surround our foreign trading, such as, for example, the Anglo-German clearing agreement or the many cartel and control schemes.
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