FREE TRADE PRINCIPLE

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 8

FREE TRADE PRINCIPLE

TEXTILE UNION'S REPORT SAFEGUARDING FAVOURED Pre»s Awociation—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 17. The National Association of Unions of tiio Textile Trade has issued a report giving tho reasons why it joined the employers in the application for safeguarding. “ It is unreasonable,” says the report “to expect British workmen, to bo martyrs of the Freetrade principle.' Seventeen per cent, of the workers in the woollen and worsted industry are wholly or partially unemployed, and tho unions had to face the problem or allow the industry to languish. We started out convinced Freetraders, but we realised that the world’s conditions are constantly changing. During the war a large percentage of our textile machinery was used to make khaki, and other 'nations were thus compelled to produce their own textiles. We feel inclinecl to ask other nations whether they also believe that Freetrade is the only honest trade. If so, why don’t they co-operate in the abolition of tariffs? The estimated net imports for the year exceed 40.000,000 square yards., of which 30,000,000 would lie.excluded under safeguarding. We submit that, while safeguarding is not the ultimate remedy, it will materially relieve unemployment.”—United Service.