SELF-IMPOSED ROADBLOCK TO TRADE SHOULD BE LIFTED

In some cases of foreign policy, American citizens must place their faith in the actions of officials in Washington. The workings of global politics are so complex that the right decisions sometimes do not lend themselves to simple logic; greater national interests are often best served by decrees that on the surface make little common sense. That said, we fail to see how American interests are served by stalling the sale of more grain to the Soviet Union at a time the Soviets are desperately in need of grain. American exporters are being hurt and American trade competitors are being helped. The situation needs to be corrected.

The Bush administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture decided last week not to provide export credit guarantees to the Soviet Union. The export credit program is used widely by the United States to generate sales all over the world. The Soviet Union, which is suffering through a period of food rationing as it tries to effect economic reforms, has been shut out of the process by the Jackson-Vanik Act. This act, with worthwhile intent, ties U.S. subsidies with improvements in Soviet human rights efforts; the White House has the power to waive the act but has decided not to.

This was a little reported policy decision, but has a major impact, especially in the nation's Farm Belt. Cape Girardeau Congressman Bill Emerson, who has asked the president to reconsider the decision, calls the situation a "de facto embargo."

What are the results? American grain farmers are suffering from low prices and shrinking profits, the result of roadblocks to overseas markets. Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who is working toward a realignment of his nation's economy, is put at risk; political unrest prompted by Soviet bread lines could undermine delicate relations between our two countries. American trade competitors, such as Canada, Australia and the European Community, are benefiting by our government's insistence of limiting access to a lucrative market.

Congressman Emerson states the dilemma succinctly: "The Soviets want to buy. Our farmers want to sell." Why is this not happening, especially during a time when Gorbachev, who has backed democratic principles and America's Persian Gulf policy, needs our help? More importantly, why are American grain producers being made to suffer for this policy?

We commend Congressman Emerson for working to remove this barrier to American exports. There are enough roadblocks to trade enacted by foreign governments; we don't need our leaders in Washington providing more.