Washington, Apr. 4.
German arguments that the United States' commercial policy is responsible for Germany's economic ills. were refuted yesterday by the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, when he replied to recent accusations made by Dr. Walther Funk German Economics Minister. In a statement to the press, Mr. Hull asserted, "All obstacles to German trade in the United States are solely the result of German policy and practices. They are not the results of American legislation aimed especially at German commerce. The German authorities do not seem to wish to trade except by methods which they could dictate."
Mr. Hull added, "During the past few years, the Reich has deviated from the US. a great amount of commerce that was formerly profitable to private interests in both Countries. "This deviation and reduction of trade aimed solely to serve German purposes, and the result was in turn great and decisive discrimination against American ex-paris. American exports met rigorous control imposed by the Reich and must now compete with trade based upon barter agreements which Germany has signed.
"American trade cannot harmoniously fill. in satisfactory manner, the gaps left unfilled by Germany's barter accords.
1t is not compelled to do so and it is to the United States' better interests that it does not do so.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.