Public Policy: Freer Trade Winds

U.S. business responded to the President's tariff reduction program surprisingly favorably.

Understandably eager for freer trade are the executives of the many U.S. industries already selling successfully overseas. But less predictably, freer trade has the endorsement, according to soundings taken by TIME correspondents, of many businessmen whose companies are currently suffering from import competition but who are confident they can counterattack effectively if foreign tariff barriers are dropped. Among the generally pro-free trade industries:

∙AUTOS. Says American Motors Corp.'s William S. Pickett, executive vice presi dent of A.M.C. Export: "If some indus tries can't make a go of it, why in...