Democrats Say Reagan Is Soft on Trade Rivals

The Democratic leadership, in another bitter radio broadside against President Reagan’s economic policies, said Saturday that the White House should adopt the same big-stick stance against “unfair” trade competitors in Europe and Japan as it does against the Soviet military threat.

In the Democrats’ weekly radio address, Rep. Stan Lundine of New York accused Reagan of “undermining the standard of living of the American people” in failing to deal with the nation’s trade deficit, which is estimated at $150 billion for the current fiscal year.

The Administration’s neglect of trade issues, he charged, is “a sign of economic weakness” that has caused the loss of 2 million American jobs to foreign competition since 1980 and threatens the nation’s status as an international trading power.

Call for Top Priority

The solution, Lundine said, is a policy that “makes trade and competitiveness as important goals as military strength and foreign relations.”

“When the Soviets threaten us militarily, you respond,” he told the President in his address. “You increase our defense budget and talk tough. Yet, when the Japanese and Europeans threaten us by unfairly taking our markets and our jobs in automobiles, semiconductors and agriculture, you politely ask them to ‘please stop.’ ”

By comparison, he said, Democrats would offer American industries “real relief” from foreign competition through stricter trade laws, greater access to overseas markets and more aid to factory towns economically damaged by import competition.

He also called on Reagan to propose solutions to Latin American nations’ massive debts to U.S. banks, and said stronger economies in Latin America would help support democratically elected governments there and create new markets for American-made goods.