MUCR-DEBATED CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2729, 25 March 1916, Page 5

MUCR-DEBATED CONFERENCE

ANTI-GERMAN TRADE WAR

INSISTED ON

(Rec. March 24, 5.50 p.m.) London, March 23

In the Houso of Commons, Mr. B. E. Peto (Unionist) gave notice of motion that tho delegates to the Paris Conference should be instructed by the Government to be prepared, in concert with our Allies, to penalise trade with the Central Powers, also to_ establish the closest trade relations with our Allies, subject to preferential treatment of the overseas Dominions. Mr. Asquitli, Sir Edward Grey, and ,Lord Kitchener are attending the Allies' War Conference in Paris next week for' the secret consideration of the conduct of the war,- simultaneously with the Inter-Parliamentary Conference. A third Paris Conference will be held on April 15, to deal with post-war trade. DEBATE IN THE HOUSE ' CAUTION AND DELIBERATION URGED. (Reo. March 24, 9.50 p.m.)

London, March 24.

In the House of Commons, on the motion for tho adjournment' of * tho House, Sir Henry Dalziel (Liberal) urged tlio Government to reconsider its decision to send delegates to the Paris Conference merely as. observers. Tho Government was missing an opportunity to strike a blow which would have tho effect of stopping the ' war. Delegates should have power to say that never in the future could trado relations with Germany bo as before tho war. Hfr tiiat Mr. W. 51. Hughes (Prime Minister of Australia) should bo included. Mr. Ellis-Griffiths (Liberal) said that we liitist be careful that we did _ nob punish ourselves more than'wo punished Germany. There were certain materials which wore only obtainable in Germany, and it would bo ridiculous to deprivo ourselves of them. Mr. D. Mac Master (Unionist) urged iliat if Mr. Huglies wcro allowed to>attend, the representatives of other Do> minions should bo present. \ Mr. Lloyd George (Minister of Munilions) said that it was not desirable.

tliafc a declaration should be made regarding the instructions which the Government gave to its delegates. This was obviously a case wherein wo must trust our delegates to a very considerable oxlont. This was the first conference of the kind, and lie would he surprised and disappointed if it were to be the last. If we wero to organise our trade fot generations to come, it would have to be done deliberately, and carefully. He did not greatly question the tariff— thero wero niucli bigger questions, such as our relations with Russia.' and Franco, where opportunities for trade wero almost infinite. At the first conferenco ir. would bs wise to feel our way. Our first object was to bring the war to a successful conclusion. When considering the question of trade, the first tiling was to obliterate any idea of revenge. Let them do what was best for the millions of peoplo of the United Kingdom, but he did not think they could over have the status quo auto helium (the state that was before the war). "I do not mean to say,V lie added, "that you should iset up a system of tariffs, or rival commercial federations which would simply perpetuato the war spirit, but wo have discovered that Germany had craftily built up many industries. not with a viow to trade, but with a viow to war. We wero almost done for because of our being without them, but we have built them up now, and it would bo a fatal blunder to allow them to go down."