Threat of Arming To British Trade Shown by Expert

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 148, 10 July 1937, Page 18

Threat of Arming To British Trade Shown by Expert

LONDON— Need for "very careful watching" • of the industrial situation in Britain was emphasized in the presidential address given here by Sir Geoffrey R. Clarke at this year's annual meeting of the Association' ox British Chambers of Commerce. "There is a distinct tendency," Sir Geoffrey said, "to g'et into the position that existed during the war, when the course of ordinary business was greatly disturbed by government priority demands, ^ith the result that a feverish atmosphere was created which was most injurious to both employers and employod.,•' This is one of the drawbacks of the rearmament activities to which the British Government has co'mmitted herself. Sir Geoffrey brought out a number of points in connection with this situation. One is that the European market for food from the Dominions cannot be fully open,ed without "a measure of economic appeasement which, will remove from European nations the d'eeling that . . . debts and hostile nationalism combine to exclude them from world trade and shut them off from raw materials." A second is that the rise which has taken place in the prices of yaw materials and especially of copper, lead, rubber, brass and steel must have an important effect upon the cost of the rearmament programme as well as upon Britain 'a export trade generally, Yet another is that while a supply of food from abroad at cheap prices is essential for the well-being of the United Kingdom, at the same time British agriculture must no,t be allowed to suffer. lu this connection, Sir Geoffrey aaid" that so far from this having been achieved "a steady decline" had taken place in home production, accompanied by "a feeling of uncertainty among the farmers." He added a warning against r.llowing rings to gain control of essential foodstuffs, as appeared to have taken place in the case of beef. At the end of the eighth round the badly bruised boxer thought he had had enough for one evening. j The seconds did not agrec with him, liowevcr, and' declared that he still stood a chance. "But," pleaded the boxer in a tired voice, "I can 'ardly see 'im." "Never mind,' said one second cheerfully, ' hit 'im from memory. ' ' g> A tourist in the l^ast was being pestered by a guide who dogged his footsteps for hours. "Look here, my lad," said the tourist in exasperation, t'ii you follow me another inch I'll punch you on the nose. D'you understand that?" "Yes, sair," replied the guide, "an' after you have gave me the ponch on the noso I sh'ow you rohnd all day, an' T charge you only four shillings — yesf"