Recent Developments in Foreign Trade: Radio Address by the Honorable Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, with Message of the President of the United ... D. C., May 25, 1938

by Cordell Hull

A clear look at how early American foreign trade policy shaped global markets.

This volume presents Cordell Hull’s 1938 radio address on foreign trade and how tariffs, trade agreements, and multilateral cooperation could support American agriculture and industry.

This edition frames the goals and tools of U.S. policy during a tense era, including the shift from bilateral approaches to multilateral trade principles. It explains why imports and access to world markets were seen as essential to national prosperity, even as the country faced economic and security challenges abroad. The text also highlights how wartime considerations influenced the creation of coordinated boards and international cooperation. Hull’s rationale for multilateral trade and most-favored-nation treatment as a path to sustainable exports and national strength. How trade agreements can relieve dollar-exchange pressures and support American farmers. An overview of the wartime framework, including the idea of combined boards and collaborative international efforts. Context for the evolution of U.S. foreign policy that connects commerce, agriculture, and national security. Ideal for readers seeking a focused historical perspective on economic policy, international trade, and the forces shaping U.S. decisions before and during the early war years.

440 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2018

About the author

Cordell Hull was an American politician from the U.S. state of Tennessee. He is best known as the longest serving Secretary of State, holding the position for 11 years (1933–1944) in the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during much of World War II. Hull received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945 for his role in establishing the United Nations, and was referred to by President Roosevelt as the "Father of the United Nations."