TRADE AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2689, 8 February 1916, Page 7

TRADE AFTER THE WAR

{ SHUTTING OUT GERMANY IMMEDIATE ACTION URGED "We were unprepared for war; let us be prepared lor peace," This'was in effect the text of an address to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday by Mr. Kenric 13. Murray, lately secretary to the London Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Murray is at present on a tour of the British Empire, and is engaged on the self-imposed mission of arousing the trading interests of the Dominions to the importance of a common understanding with regard to international commerce relationships after the war. It is Mr. Murray's desire to bring the various commcmal bodies throughout the Empire into immediate communication with each other, so that after fruitful discussion matters may be ripe for decision when, the war terminates. Mr. Murray explained that ho held no representative status. He was travelling simply as a private individual to urge that early stops bo i.iken by the commercial communities throughout the Empire to prepare to mako their voice heard when the terms of peaca came to be arranged. Unless they weio ready to come forward with practical proposals, commercial opinion would not bo represented when the terms of pence were being discussed. Ho personally had had a good deal to do with commercial negotiations, and he knew liie time that was required to bring them to a, conclusion. He had throughout a period of thirty years been connected with practically every commercial treaty negotiated, and ho knew box these things wore done. Communications passed between the Foreign office, tho Board of 'frade ; and the Chamber of Commerce Committees, and much time was swallowed up. It took from a year to a year and a half to get tho matter into shape. He was there w) ask them to begin -work as early as possible, so that they should be ready when i':\e crucial moment arrived. There two proposals he would .briefly uigo upon their consideration, nariiciy, (L) Preferential trade between the lilies; (2) a penal clause against German trade amongst the Allies. Preferential trade they mighf look upon as almost conceded. The nations comprising the Allies had been brought into an intimacy ol'" commerce which had never existed before. Let them contemplate for a moment the enormous markets in tlio British Empire, France, Italy, Belgium, and Russia, with which preferential trado would provide tliem. Let them think what the Gorman part of the trade alone had been in the past. If they were wise_ they might from £he day pcace was signed secure a 'lai;gc amount of that trade for themselves. Preferential trade would serve the useful purpose of keeping the Allies together. Otherwise there was always the danger that they wquld drift apart after the war was over, each going his own way. The feeling in England in favour of free trado was growing stronger daily, and there was a greater liopo than had ever had . before of something being dono. He appealed 'to them to. take prompt action so that they should "be ready.with proposals and information when the time came. The idea had germinated in his mind shortly- after the declaration of war, when Sir Edward Grey announced that none of the Allies would conclude ,a separate peace. He made certain tradq. proposals to tho Foreign Office, and renewed these proposals immediately _the Coalition Government cams into existence. He had received hope- • ful answers and privato letters from heads of Departments indicating that the proposals were tho subject of joint inquiry between the Foreign Office and the Board of Trado. The penal clauiH? could be mado to apply to all blanches of German _ industry and finance. It would require no negotiations with tho enemy country, but was a matter of agreement between the Allies themselves. The Allies could agree to impose a certain tariff, and the moment peace was signed that tariff came automatically into operation. It would supersede military occupation which continued until the first instalment of the war indemnity had been paid. If the Wellington Chamber was sympathetic ho would suggest that other Chambers should be approached in Australia, South Africa, and Canada, with a view to" joint representations being mado to tho Imperial Government, whose duty it w<suld then he in tijL'ii to approach, the Governments of tho Allied nations with regard to the proposals. After, a brief discussion, in tho course of which the opinion was expressed that the proposal for preferential trado within the Empire rather than between the Allies seemed to have a more favourable basis, and that early notion was advisable, the matter was referred to the Executive of the Associated Chambers.