FUTURE OF BRITISH TRADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3002, 13 February 1917, Page 5

FUTURE OF BRITISH TRADE

IMPORTANT SCHEME OF REORGANISATION FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIES The Federation of British Industries have had under consideration tho circumstances which will affect British foreign trade on tho conclusion of peace and the preparations necessar j to meet tho'new situation, and they desire lo urgo the following viows upon tho earnest attention of His Majesty's Government:— ■

-It appears iuovitable that Dcoijpmio conditions after the war, and more particularly those which will oxist in belligerent countries, will greatly increase the _ severity of the competition in foreign markets at the ver.v time that the necessity of meeting 'tho heavy charges consequent upon war expendi--1 ture will render it a vital necessity for British productions to securo a greatly increased sale in such markets. This situation will involve a great increase of effort upon the part of all persons, organisations, and individuals concerned with the industry and commerce of the country; but, above all, a very heavy responsibility will bo thrown upon the Government Commercial Service, and, in particular, upon the Departments and Services charged with the promotion of foreign trade and with tho _ collection and distribution of .foreign commercial intelligence. The Federation aro convinced that these responsibilities will be of such a nature that the duties, character, and scope of • these.Departments and Services will require radical reorganisation and a very fconsidorablo extension. They, therefore, suggest certain broad principles which, in their opinion, are essential '(o any successful reorganisation.

The Federation urge most: strongly iipon His Majesty's Government the .vital importance of taking immediate steps to reorganise the Service., in order that the conclusion of peace may not find the country unprepared to face tho serious industrial and commercial competition in foreign countries which mnst be an inevitable consequence of the war. The reorganisation aiM development of the personnel and methods of this Serines must necessarily be a work demanding considerable time, and it is tho realisation of tho disastrous' consequences which may ensuo if this work is not undertaken at once which has impelled tho Federation to put forward! these recomhieric-ations immediately, l without inourring even the short delay which would have been necessitated by awaiting the completion of their investigation into the problems of trade with the Dominions and colonies, which will, however, be submitted to His Majesty's Government in due course. Briefly, tho recommendations of tho Federation are as follow:—<

'Recommendations. ' That all tho activities undertaken by the Government in connection with the promotion of British trade in iforeign countries should bo concentrated in a single Department. That this Department must be the Foreign Office. That the commercial duties of the Foreign Office and Foreign Services ishould include: (a) Tho direction of all , services abroad; (b) the collection and distribution of all industrial, financial, and commercial information relating to foreign countries; (c) tho prompt and , vigorous support of all Bntish efforts to secure contracts, concessions, or torders; (d) advice to the Department in charge of industrial and commercial affairs' on all questions in tho United Kingdom which may affect foreign trade; (e) advice to His Majesty's Government as to the conditions on which they should permit the issue of foreign loans in tho United Kingdom. That really efficient machinery should ho established to co-ordinate the work of tho Foreign Office and of the Department in charge of industrial and commercial affairs.

Hat in '.order to enable the Foreign Office and Foreign Services to ■undertake tho reorganisation and oxpansion necessary to the efficient discharge of tho functions enumerated above: A largo increaso should be mado in the funds placed at their disposal. Details respecting the suggested reorganisation of tho Foreign Office and Foreign Services follow. They include tho establishment at the Foreign Office of a large commercial branch, with the provision r of oxtra staff arid accommodation on a generous scale; and it is suggested that tho Commercial Attache Service bo :replaced by the appointment of officers of high rank, to boknown as Commercial Counsellors, to each Embassy or Legation, to be in solechairge, under tho Ambassador or Minister, of all commercial work in the country.