
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 21, 1993                   TAG: 9401220001
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NAFTA GOES TO CONGRESS

WITH SIDE agreements on labor and environmental safeguards now in place, the North American Free Trade Agreement goes to Congress. Expect a bruising battle.

The side agreements OK'd by the United States, Mexico and Canada require employers to comply with regulations governing the right to strike, minimum wage, child labor and such. Trilateral commissions would be set up to review complaints on labor standards and environmental protection.

These agreements are a constructive improvement over the trade pact negotiated by the Bush administration, but the original treaty was worthy in itself.

With or without the added safeguards, the effect of dismantling trade barriers with Mexico over 15 years will be increased trade. The effect of increased trade over time will be increased prosperity in Mexico. One effect of that will be better working conditions and environmental enforcement south of the border.

And among the effects of faster growth in Mexico will be reduced illegal emigration to the United States, and increased demand for U.S. exports. That will mean a net increase in jobs for U.S. citizens.

As for the jobs lost, those would probably be lost to Americans anyway, with or without a treaty, if they happen to be in industries in which low-cost labor is the dominant competitive factor.

This economic logic remains lost, unfortunately, on many Americans, including many well-meaning people; it also has failed to convince assorted protectionists and isolationists, cynics and Chicken Littles, Democrats and demagogues, nativists and extremist environmentalists, all of whom are amassing forces to wage war against NAFTA.

Though a tough fight looms, the clouds may hide a silver lining. Ominously, many Democrats in Congress are said to be lined up against the treaty. If that's true, President Clinton will have to show strong leadership to get it approved.

Just as important, he'll have to work with Republicans (on a treaty, don't forget, that George Bush endorses). Perhaps the spirit of bipartisanship necessary to approve NAFTA can be extended in some measure to other issues, such as health-care reform, that also will need support from both parties to get through.

What's more, perhaps Ross Perot's demagogic opposition to NAFTA will be enough to persuade Republicans that their political flirtation with the Texan is riskier than they have realized.

by CNB