BRITONS FLOCK TO DOMINIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 22 April 1947, Page 6

BRITONS FLOCK TO DOMINIONS

Press Assn,

• 1 W SELECTED ALIENS TAKING THEIR PUCE

By Telegraph

,-Copyright

ReceiveH Monday, 7.40 p.m. /. LONDON, April 20. There are many indications that one of the most important - redistri)iutions of population in the history of British peoiiles, is gathering momentum. While * thousands of British war brides and their children have already gone overseas to Doruinions and . colonies, many thousands more of Britain's young manhood and womanhood are queuing up to follow them. JDespite the aclmowledged fact that they can ill be spared, Britain "is plaeing no obstaeles in their way but is preparing to redress the loss to her population by repeating the successfui experiments of the seventeenth centnry when Huguenot refugees from Franee were introdnced in the propo'rtion of one 111 seventy to the then population, - Whether the intake of displac-ed persons from Europe, which will * cornmence with the arrival of the first" 1000 at Hull this week, will ever assume such proportions is doubttul but it should be emphasised that.there is 110 disposition in Britain to adopt a selfish or sectional viewpoint towards the desire of so many of her youngpeople to go; to the Dominions^ just when Britain herself needs them most. 1

Indced, tliere is probably less difference of opinion between the Government and Opposition on this question ihan on any other- important issue m Britain today. There are differenees on details but none on the fundamental issue that emigration must be con sidered from the staiidpoint of the vvelfare of the Conimonwealth as "a whole and not of Britain alone. Not Studying Own Interests If Britain studied her own inimediate interests it is not disguised that she would adopt the saine attitude as the Soviet Government has adopted towards its much publicised 15 AngloRussian wives, and poilit out to her would- be emigrants that Britain needs all the hands and brains of her people and particularly the youngest and most virile of them. She could, with justification, point out her manpower difficulties chiefly due to the fact that she has 1,170,000 still in the defenee services and that to fulfil her commitInents of which. the ,Dominions form a part, she has had to impose conscription on and appeal to as many as possible of her womenfolk to divide her energies between factories and liomes. The fact that all political parties in Britain are agrecd that they should assist rather than hinder immigration under these circumstances, is proof that lmperial rather than purely national considerations are guiding British policy. . A tvpical British point of view was expressed by Lord Tweedsmuir when spealcing in the ^.ords at the end of the week. ' ' On the f ace of it, ' ' he said, "it might seem a verv doiibtful step to encourage injtnigration from these shores for a population which will certainly tend to. decrease rather than increase in a few,- yoirs' time and at a time when our cconomy is deeply embarrassed by lack of manpower. But we eaimot regard the problem as one which coneerns'Kourselves ■ alone. This is a matter-'wteeh trahscends party differenees for. ijts effect 011 the ,fu£ure of the countiries of , the Conimonwealth —Britain not the least — may have a vital signifieanee in the moulding of ouivftiture.:; It 'is calling in;jtlie - old world tei redi'esSi the balanee of the newt' ' ? ' Liord TweedsnSuir, the Inheritor of a title founded- by one of Britain's great proconsuls, was expressing the official Conservative point of view, but Lord Addison, who replied to him for the Government/"' was equally emphatic. The Government, he said, was aware Of the necessity to do as much. as humanly possible to increase British stock in the Commonwealth and would do everything practicable to this end.

Privately, Mr. Bevin and other in fluential members of the Governmeni have reinforced this view. It is not disguised, however, that the exodus which at present threateno Britain must be redressed as soon as possible. Even now, bei'ore the tliou--sands of emigrants who have already, registered for passages, can be found berths there are, on the authority ot the recent Government White Paper, ,ai least 100,000 too few workers in Britain. On the long term*view, when allowance is made for continuing de fence commitments and the effects oi" the raising Of the school leaving age, the figure is much higher than tliat. The first signs, of the current which It* is hoped will compensate for the outflow from Britain, will "be seen this week when the first 1000 of displacecl persons selected in Europe will arrive in Britain and be sent to transit camps before being dispersed into various industries. They have all been carefuliy chosen and 'are coming to work in specific industries. Reports state that remarkably few of them were rejected on medical grounds and that their -physical standard is high. Already it is apparent British recruiting officers will receive more volunteers than they have need for, in spite of the austerity conditions in Britain today, these conditions are still immeasurably better than those in which Europe 's stateless and homeless millions are existing. It is admitted that in some quarters the substitution of foreign workers for British stock which will go to the Dominions is not weleomed but it is recalled that both the Hugenots andFlemish weavers who laid the founda tions of much of the success of the British textile industry in Stuart times, were also regarded with misgivings in their generation, while succeeding generations applauded the wisdoni oi the policy of tolpration which gave them sanctuary in Britain. N.Z. Programme Awaited News that an explk'it statement on ■ immigration1 will shortly. be issued b\ , New Zealand, will. be "weleomed in Britain for so far less is known about New Zealand intentions than about those of any other Dominions. The fact. that the housing shortage in New Zealand is the chief barrier to any large immediate intake from Britain, is impressed upon all applicants for passages but doos not yet appear to be generallv realised by the British publie. What has impressed the British publie is that both Australia and South Africa have announced special targets and detailed schemes w-hilc New Zealand. which is one of the most popular of the Dominions with would-be migrants, has not yet clarified its position.