GREAT INTERNATIONAL TRADE ALLIANCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2804, 23 June 1916, Page 5

GREAT INTERNATIONAL TRADE ALLIANCE

FRUITS OP THE PARIS ECONOMIC CONFERENCE . SWEEPING RESOLUTIONS OUTLINED His Excellency the Governor (the Earl of Liverpool) has received from the secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Bonar Law) a cablegram conveying the resolutions which were adopted by the great Economic Conference which eat recently in Paris. The resolutions were read in the House of Representatives last evening by the Prime Minister (Mr. Massey). These are as follow-— London, Juno 20, 1916. ECONOMIC CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIES 1. Representatives of the Allied Governments have met at Paris under the 1 residency of it. Clemeueeau, Minister of Commerce, oiv June: 14, 15, 10, and 17, 1916, for the purpose of fulfilling "the mandate given to them by the Paris Conference held on March 28, 1916, giving practical expression to their' solidarity ot views and interests,' and proposing to their respective Governments appropriate measures for realising this solidarity, t"u 2?? y *Jj ol,lre - that after forcing on them this military contest, in spite ot all their efforts to avoid a conflict, the Empires of Central Europe are to-day preparing in concert with their Allies for a contest on an economic plane which' will not only survive the re-establishmont of peace, but will at that moment attain its full 6cope and intensity. ':''''.* 3- Jhey cannot therefore conceal from themselves that agreements .being prepared for this purpose between their enemies have the obvious object of establishing the domination of the latter "over the production and tho markets of the whole.world, and imposing on other countries an intolerable yoke. In the face of so grave a peril, the representatives of tho Allied Governments consider that it has become their duty on the grounds of necessary and legitimate defence to adopt and realise from now onward all measures requisite on tho one hand to secure tor themselves' and for tho whole of the markets of neutral countries hill economic-independence and respect for sound commercial practice, and on the other hand to facilitate the organisation on a permanent basis of their economic alliance. For this purpose tho representatives of the Allied Governments have decided to submit for approval of those Governments the ! following resolutions:— A. MEASURES FOR THE WAR PERIOD _ (1) Laws and regulations prohibiting trading with the enemy shall be brought into accord for this purpose: ■"V (a) Tho Allies will prohibit their own subjects and citizens and all persons residing in their territories from carrying on any trade with: (1) Inhabitants of enemy countries, whatever their nationality; (2) Enemy subjects, wherever resident; . (3) Persons, firm, and companies whose business is controlled "a wholly or partially by enemy subjects or is subject to enemy influence, and whose names are included in a special list. (b) They will prohibit the importation into their territories of all goods originating in or coming from enemy countries. (c) They will devise means of establishing a system enabling contracts . . .entered(into w.ith enemy subjects awl injurious to nations' interest to be cancelled unconditionally. (2) Business undertakings owned or operated by enemy subjects in territories of the Allies will all lie sequestrated or placed under control; measures will bo taken for the purpose, of winding-up some of those undertakings and of realising their assets; the proceeds of such realisation > remaining sequestrated or Under control. . -■•■■• ' ' • •■..■,'.-...'" (Sfln addition to the export prohibitions necessitated by the internal situa- ( tion of each of tho Allied countries, the Allies will complete measures already taken for the restriction of enemy supplies both in Mother countries, and in dominions, colonies, and protectorates: (1) By -unifying lists of contraband aud export prohibitions, aud particularly by prohibiting the export of all commodities declared absolute or conditionally contraband. (2) By making tho grant of licenses for export! to neutral countries from which export to enemy territories could take place conditional upon existence in such countries of control organisations approved by tho Allies, or in the absence , of such organisations upon special guarantees, . such as limitation of 'quantities exported, supervision by Allied Consular officers, ■ etc. .«'.'.'. • ' ■ B. TRANSITORY MEASURES FOR THE PERIOD OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURAL, AND MARITIME RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ALLIED COUNTRIES 1. The Allies.declare their common determination, to ensure -the re-establish-ment of countries suffering from acts of destruction, spoliation, and unjust requisition, and decide to join in devising, means to secure the restoration to those countries as a prior claim of their raw materials, industrial and agricultural plant, stock, and mercantile fleet, or to assist them to re-equip them-, selves in these respects. 2. Whereas the war ha 3 put an end to all treaties of commerce- between j the Allies and enemy Powers, and whereas it is of essontial importance; that during the period of economic reconstruction which will follow the cessation of hostilities,' the liberty of none of the Allies, .should be hampered by any claim put forward by enemy powers to most favoured nation treatment, .the Allies ( agree that the "benefit of this treatment shall not bo granted to those Powers during a number of years to be fixed by mutual agreement among themselves. During this• number of years the Allies.undertake to assure to each other, so far as possible,'compensatory outlets for'trade in case consequences, detrimental to their commerce, result from the application of the undertaking referred to in the preceding paragraph. 3. Allies declare themselves agreed to conserve for the Allied countries before all others their natural resources during the whole period of commercial, industrial, agricultural, and maritime reconstruction, and for, this purpose they undertake to establish special arrangements to facilitate the interchange of these resources. 4. In order to defend their commerce, industrial, agricultural, and navigation against economic aggression resulting from dumping or any other mode of unfair competition, the, Allies decide to fix by agreement'the. period_ of time during which commerce of enemy Powers shall be submitted to special treatment, and goods originating in their country shall be subjected either to prohibitions or to special regime. of effective character. The _ Allies-will determine by agreement through diplomatic channels special conditions to' be imposed during the above-mentioned period on ships of enemy. Powers. The Allies will devise measures to'be taken jointly or severally for preventing enemy subjects •.from exercising in their territories certain'industries or professions which concern national defenco or economic independence. . ....■■■ ■ <j C. PERMANENT MEASURE OF. MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AND COLLABORATION ... AMONG THE ALLIES 1. The Allies decide to take necessary steps without delay to render themselves independent l of enemy countries in so far as Tegards raw material' and manufactured articles essential to normal development of their economic activities. These measures should bo directed to assuring the independence of the Allies, not only so far as concerns their source of supply, but also as regards their financial! commercial, and maritime organisation. The Allies will adopt such measures as may seem to their, most suitable for carrying out this resolution according to the nature of the commodities, and having regard-to the principles which govern their economic policy.' They may, for example, have recourse either to enterprises subsidised direct or controlled by Governments themselves, or to grant financial assistance for the encouragement of scientific and technical research and tho development of national industries and resources; to Customs duties or prohibitions of temporary or permanent character or to combination. In these different methods, whatever may .bo the methods adopted, the object aimed at by the Allies is to increase production within their territories as a whole to a sufficient extent to enable them to maintain and develop their economic position and independence in relation to enemy countries. 2. In order to permit the interchange of their products the Allies -undertake to adopt measures for the facilitation of their mutual trade relations, both by tho establishment of direct and rapid land and sea transport services at low rates and by the extension ami tho improvement of postal, telegraphic and other communications. 3. The Allies undertake to convene a meeting of technical delegates to draw up measures for. the assimilation so far as may be possible of their laws governing patents, indications of origin and trade marks. In regard to patents, trade marks, and literary and artistic copyright which have come into existence during the war in enemy countries, the Allies will adopt so far as pos- ' sible identical procedure to be applied as soon as hostilities cease. This procedure will bo elaborated by technical delegates of Allies. i. Whereas, for the purpose of their common defence against enemy, the Allied Powers have agreed to adopt a common economic, policy on the lines laid down in the: resolutions which have been passed, and whereas it is recognised that the effectiveness of this policy depends absolutely upon these resolutions beins put into operation forthwith: the representatives of the Allied Governments- undertake to recommend to their respective Governments to be taken without, -delay all measures, whether temporary or permanent, requisite for giving full and complete effect to this polio' forthwith, and to communicate to each other the decisions arrived at to attain their object. PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENT. "I take it," said Mr. Massey, after he had read the message, "that this is only a rough outline of the decisions arrived at by the very important conference which has just come to an end in Paris, but I think it goes without saying that the representatives of the Allies wbo were present at the conference have made up their minds that nothing will be left undone to prevent present enemy countries from re-establishing themselves in the commercial position they .occupied prior to the war."