ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the three liberal-trade organizations and activities: the fight against oil-import restrictions, 1951–1953; the Committee for a National Trade Policy; and the League of Women Voters. The CNTP grew up in 1953 out of a number of antecedents. Perhaps the most important of these was the fight in 1951 and 1953 against oil-import restrictions, a fight finally lost in 1955. The "coldly factual" approach was particularly effective in New England, where much of the imported residual fuel oil is consumed. The CNTP soon gained the intellectual stamp of a debating society. It became an organization largely devoted to issuing statements and disseminating economic analyses. Although the CNTP did effectively occupy the position of spokesman for its side, the development of the action-oriented strategy originally contemplated became impossible in the 1950's. As the committee had difficulties, complaints and disappointment increased. People started to look for a scapegoat.
