Proclamation 4135—World Trade Week, 1972

From the earliest days of this Nation, the American people have been engaged vigorously in international trade. In this era of new competition, we intend to continue and expand such efforts.

The benefits of such activity are manifest in the numerous U.S. job opportunities that foreign trade creates and in the enriched standard of living flowing from the freedom of the American people to buy diverse products from many lands. This mutually beneficial exchange of goods stimulates economic growth not only in the United States but also in the other nations of the world and contributes to better international understanding and goodwill.

The world's trade and monetary system exists in a dynamic environment, as was shown in the major reforms we successfully launched last year. Recent changes provide new trade opportunities for United States industries, firms, and workers in the various sectors of the American economy. All must take steps to make our participation in international trading activities more effective in order that the United States economy may reap the maximum benefits from this development.

As our trade expands, production and employment in the American economy will be stimulated and our balance of payments placed in better equilibrium.

The major trading nations have declared that they are prepared to initiate and actively support multilateral and comprehensive negotiations in the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade with a view to the expansion of world trade and improvement in the worldwide standard of living. These aims can be achieved through the progressive dismantling of obstacles to trade and the improvement of the international framework for the conduct of world trade.

The United States stands ready to do its fair share in international efforts to achieve these aims, and expects that other nations will do the same.

In addition to trade benefits, stronger international relationships based on mutual equity will do much to enhance world stability and thus will assist the world's constant search for new structures of peace.

Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning May 21, 1972, as World Trade Week, and I call upon the American people, the business community, and Government officials to cooperate in observing that week and to consider the expansion of world trade as an important national objective which warrants their attention and their productive efforts.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-sixth.

RICHARD NIXON