AFTER-WAR TRADE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 10

AFTER-WAR TRADE

BRITAIN'S ECONOMIC POLICY

SrEECH BY ME. LLOYD GEORGE.

In the course of a recent speech to a deputation from the .National Union of Manufacturers which waited upon him, Mr. Lloyd George dealt with the resolutions recently passed by that body concerning tho Government's trade policy. His main points were: 1. Agreement between this country and America, on economic policy is vital. 2. Essential national industries must lie strengthened. The less wo talked of past- theories and the more we dealt with present realities the better. 3. The longer flio war lasts the sterner must be the economic terms imposed on the foe.

i. It aw materials and transport after the war will be problems calling for altogether special treatment, and for Government interference to a considerable extent. In both connections the people who have been''fighting together should be served first.

o. The present system of industrial control is not to be continued after the war.

The Prime Minister said that before the Government announced its policy upon matters which affected the future of Britain, it was essential that they should make themselves acquainted with the views of practical men connected with our great industries. "There are two considerations, at least," said Mr. Llnyd George, "that delay declarations ou the part of tho Government as to their final view. First of all, our time has beer, alvsovbw. by the demands of the great buttle! Tlu'seeond is, that we must, necessarily, in whatever policy we proclaim, k<:ep in touch and be in complete accord, first of all. with our dominions, and secondly, with our allies. Two Leagues of Nations. '•'There in a good deal -of discussion about a League 01 Nations, and I am certainly Mia of those who believe in it. Hue .'litre are two Leagues of Nations which are already in existence; the first is the Jirit.sh Lmpire, and the second is the Great Alliance against tlio Central Powers. And whatever decision we come to mus: be one in which we can inarch hand in hand and side by side with those two great' Leagues of Nations of which we are members.

"We have been discussing this problem in the course of the last few weeks

with the Dominions, and. we-had discussions with our Allies before America came in, iu ISIB. The Paris ltesolutions wore: arrive.! at in lijjj. Up to the present t.me America luts expressed no opinion upon the Paris P.esolutions, ana it. w vitally important that the policy of America and the polioy of this country should be in complete agreement on economic problems as well as on other problems. (Cheers.) All lam permitted to say at the present moment is that I am very hopeful, because agreement amongst the Allies on these great problems means thai the economic fate of the world will be in the hands of the great Allied' Powers who are federated together at present. (Cheers.) The less we talk of the theories of the past, and the more we deal with the realities and the needs of the present,. the better tho national progress we shall make. (Cheers.) We have been a united people in.defending the Empire.. I want us to be a united people again in the reconstruction of the Empire. "The essential industries of this country must be not merely maintained, but strengthened. This war has taught many of us useful lessons, and I li6pc those lessons are not confined to one party. "These are the days when courage is needed, and theie is no greater demand on courage than, when you have mado up your mind that « certain course is the right one, to take it without any regard to anybody who taunts you that you are inconsistent with what you have done before. (Chue'-s.) Tho country must come first, and not the career or consistency of any man or of any party. (Cheers.) "During the war wc have undoubtedly discovered that there were industries in this country that were essential not merely from the commercial point of view, but from the point of view of national defence and security. Under no conditions, and whatever it costs, should we let those industries down in the future. There are two or three things which I should like to say upon that particular problem. Tho longer the war lasts the sterner must be the economic terms wo imposo on the. foe. (Cheers.) And I think the sooner ho realises that the better. He is fighting in order to impose h'is own economic terms upon the Allies. He will never succeed in doing so (Cheers.) ''

"Mr. Beck referred to' the conditions immediately after the declaration of peace. I agree with hjm, Hint it will bo a time of dislocation of industry. There will be arrears of work which it will take us years to make up, even in manufacture. A great difficulty will be raw material: where to get it, and how to get it. Another difficulty will be transport, and you will find; that during tho first years of peace these will be difficulties that will 'require special, consideration of a totally different character even from that which has been predicted in the very able speeches which have been delivered here to-day. ' Learning From Germany. "No one. ever dreams of continuing the present system of control after tho war. I agree with my friend, Sir William Pearce, that the strength of this country lias been very largely in the ingenuity, the self-reliauw, the adaptability, and the resource which come from individual effort. All tlie same, do uot let us despise what tho German has won from combination. Thero is a lesson of the war which even the Germans have, taught us, in the effect of the assistance' of State action, of State., help, of State encouragement, of State promotion, and of combined effort amongst those who are engaged in all the industries of tho country. Let us learn our lessons wherever they come from, even from the Germans. (Cheers.) "War, if it is to be victorious, must be waged by a disciplined nation, and a disciplined nation must mean interference. The war is essentially intcrfer r ing with business at (very turn, and you cannot avoid it. When the war is over all the constant interference which may bo absolutely essential now in order to diredt and to concentrate tho whole strength of the nation/upon the war, must disappear. But there are two or three things that must remain even then until we get over the transition period. "You are not going to get raw material without ■Government interference to a considerable extent. You have also to orgauiso transport. You have got to see that the dominions, who are also in arrear in respect of British manufactures, shall have their fair share. We havo to do more than that. We must not forget the countries who have be,en lighting side by side with us. I Partners Nov/ and Later.

"You might have perhaps lroni , an enemy suuras an ortier wuich will be more- remunerative to you that an order from Great Britain, tnu dominions, or our Allies. I think we ought to see that the people who have been fighting together snould be served first. (Cheers.) "Do not let us make the mistake of dissolving partnership the moment this lighting is over. The world will not come right at onco, and, if you dissolve partnership with all these great peoples —a partnership cemented with bloodthere will be men* quite ready to take advantage of it. It is vital that when the transition period has come, when there will not be enough to go round, ivo must keep the partnersuip going, ami help eaeli other to the "end, so that the brotherhood shall remain. (Cheers.)

"There is the other.point which I want to put to you with regard to transport. Because, there again, you might have a shipowner—l' do not say that there are shipowners like it—who could get a doublo or a treble freight for canning to an eiu'iny country compared wilh what is ottered or what is fair for him to exact for carrying to Great Britain, or to the dominions, or the Allies. 1 am in general agreement with tho principles which has been laid down. But do not hitch ou' to past controversies. Let us consider our problems anew. It is tho only way,in which, wo can secure absolute national unity.