BUILDING UP THE EMPIRE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 10

BUILDING UP THE EMPIRE.

MEANING OF DEVELOPMENT. MR J. H. THOMAS'S MESSAGE. (FEOlt OUR OWN CORSESFOSnEXT.} LONDON, May 22. "Empire Development and Empire Settlement: A Message to Great Britain and the Dominions,'" by Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P., was issued yesterday by the Overseas Settlement Department of the Colonial Office. Addressing his "fellow citizens in the Dominions and Great Britain," Mr Thomas says: "I know there are many people "who assume that Labour leaders are against development of the Empire. It is because I am a Labour man that 1 believe with all my heart in that great brotherhood of free and democratic peoples which is building up the British Empire. As Secretary of State for the Colonies. I was closely concerned with the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. Though I am no longer-in office, and a member of the Opposition in Parliament, I am just as anxious as I was last year to do anything I can to make the Exhibition of 1925 a success. I have ofte.i said that 1 could not argue with those whs think the success of an Exhibition such as this one should be measured by a balance-sheet. What I desire is that the Exhibition should bring home to us ail, whether, we live in this country or in one of the Dominions, what a" great thing this Empire is, how important. to tho material and moral prosperity of each one of us and of the whole world. I "I am writing this message in the hope of convincing any who may need to be convinced that the best way in which the Dominion* and we can face up to the future and meet whatever difficulties. it may bring, is by development of the Empire. This can only be done by settling more people in those parts or the Empire, particularly Australia and Canada, where more population is urgently needed. Wo are not blind. We all of.us have a very fair idea of what the British Empire is. We have all been taught about it, at school, and this Exhibition —thank goodness it, .has. been decided to keep it open for another summer—has done and will do much to make more clear to us truths of which we were perhaps only half aware. ■«« know that the Empire contains vast areas well suited for permanent settlement by the white race. We know that it contains unlimited natural resources—wheat, meat, dairy produce, fruit, minerals, wool, jute, and—as we are now realising—cotton. We knew that its resources are largely untapped and its vast areas most thinly populated. . "We want man-power to develop the Empire's, i-esources. We have the man-power all right, but three-quarters of it is here in these small islands, 482 people to the square mile. in Canada and Australia there are about two people to the square mile. How can we hope to develop them with such a small population? "A word about markets. Those of us who live in Australia and New Zealand, where the population is 98 per cent .British, spent per head,in 1923, £lO 8s and £l6 13s respectively on goods manufactured or produced in this country. What 4 different showing foreign countries make! The citizens of the United States , spent in 1923 just over 12s 7d per head in buying goods from here, arid our nearest neighbours and allies, the French, about £1 ss. Australia and New Zealand sent as exports to this country foodstuffs, raw materials, etc., to the value of nearly £92,000,000 in 1923. They took in imports from this country (mostly manufactured goods) to. the value of over £78,000,000. "But are we even now realising the importance of this problem? Ara we getting to grips with it,, as we ought? Do we see that our existence as nations depends upon it? That Canada must have more people, thai five or six million of us cannot hold Australia, and that the success of the White Australia policy depends upon it? What are we doing to achieve our aims? "It is true that this subject is occupying the thoughts of many leading men throughout the Empire; true that books are l>eing written and speeches made. True; that the Empire Settleinent Act, largely the work of my successor, the present {secretary of "State for the Colonies, became law in 1922, and that under that Act, some 40;0ou l people are now yearly helped to leave these shores and settle in the Dominions. True that the Governments and peoples of the Dominions are increasingly conscious .of the importance of the new policy, and true that it was warmly supported by' the Government of which 1 was a member, and is not now dealt with as a Party question. Those empty lands are a danger to us all. I am told that capital is required for their development and settlement. No doubt that is so; but under the Empire Settlement Act the Treasury can put tip £3,000,000 a year, and not more than one-sisth .of this amount lias as yet been spent in any year. "Can Ave not get even closer together and find means of spending this money —and more if need be —to our common advantage? Can we hope for success unless we encourage migration and settlement upon broader lines? Is it enough to encourage only the man who is prepared to work as a farm hand and tho woman who is prepared to work as a servant. Is this the best way to build up nations? I know that something has been done—and with the enthusiastic support ,of the late Government —to encourage the settlement of ■ groups of families in the Dominions, but can such settlements not be established upon a far larger scale. Cannot villages be, established, others besides land workers be included? "I hear talk of schemes for boys and young men from the big schools. Can they not be multiplied, and cannot schemes he devised for dealing with other women besides those who are maid-servants? Cannot more openings be found in businesses ? As I. see it, this Empire is a trust of which we ar© the keepers for the> British race. Can we not develop it as it deserves? And let there be no mistake. What 1 mean by development is a fair chance for the child, a real outlook .and opportunity for the parent, in short, an Empire of happy and contented people."