AFTER WAR TRADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2745, 14 April 1916, Page 5

AFTER WAR TRADE

"THRASH GERMANY FIRST." By Telegraph-Press Association-OopyrieM Cape Town, April 12. On the Unionist motioi urging the Government to discuss after-war trade regulations with tho Imperial Government with a view to. concerted action, General Botha said ho regarded the motion as premature. He declared emphatically that ■we should first devote our attention to giving Germany a sound hiding. (Cheers.) After doing that there .would be ample time to deal With the fiscal question. Mr. Burton (Minister for Finance) said the Imperial Government would not act without consulting- the Dominions. The war would undoubtedly tremendously revolutionise Empire relations', ■ but co-ordination in defence was much more important than trade. Mr. Burton hoped it_ would be 1 possible to draw the commercial bonds closer, but dissented from the'idea of killing German trade after the war, which, was.. impossible, and also implied a trado war after peace. Mr. Burton added that General Botha had been invited to London at the same time as Mr.- Hughes had been invited, but was unable to accept. South. Africa was confident that the Imperial Government would keep it advised of the results of the Paris Conference. On the question'of sending a South African representative to the conference General Hertzog said ho was willing to consider an Imperial union fo rfrade and defence, but the former should not be shackled by. European trade conditions.