Joint Statement by President Roosevelt and the Canadian Prime Minister (Bennett)81
Our conversations82 have been eminently satisfactory in establishing a common ground of approach to the principal problems of the World Monetary and Economic Conference. We are agreed that our primary need is to insure an increase in the general level of commodity prices. To this end simultaneous action must be taken both in the economic and in the monetary fields. Economic and monetary policies must be adjusted to permit a freer international exchange of commodities.
It is recognized that as soon as practicable an international monetary standard must be restored, with arrangements that will insure a more satisfactory operation of international monetary relationships. We have examined a series of proposals for the more effective employment of silver.83
No one of these problems can be profitably dealt with in isolation from the others, nor can any single country accomplish a satisfactory solution. We therefore recognize the vital importance to mankind of the World Economic Conference, and the necessity of reaching, in the weeks which remain before it is convened, as great a measure of mutual understanding as possible.
We have also discussed the problems peculiar to the United States and Canada. We have agreed to begin a search for means to increase [Page 503] the exchange of commodities between our two countries, and thereby promote not only economic betterment on the North American Continent, but also the general improvement of world conditions.
- Issued by the White House as a press release, April 29, 1933; reprinted from Department of State, Press Releases, May 6, 1933, p. 303.↩
- Further conversations between Canadian and American representatives were held on April 26; see Department of State, Press Releases, April 29, 1933, p. 274.↩
- A tripartite discussion among Canadian, Mexican, and American representatives on the world silver problem was held on May 16; see p. 516.↩