PUBLIC OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1930, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION

BEAVERBROOK ENPLA INS

“There really won’t lie any increase in the price of food under Empire Free Trade. Why ?* Because there will in no tax oil Empire food. ' Don’t be misled with cries of Empire Free Trade wrecking the Conservative Party, h is essential to save the country even at the expense of wrecking every political party. Nothing is further from my thoughts than to disrupt or to destroyany party in tne State. The- United Empire Party is not a political party; it is an economic party, formed for the purpose- of securing the success of an economic policy which I believe to G essential in the interest of the country. [ is not concerned with the old party conflicts. It will not take any intciest in the old party issues.”—Lord •Beaver brook.

‘‘ECONOMIC NATIONALISM.’’

“Economic nationalism is incompatible with prosperity just as nationalism in armaments is incomparable with peace*” says a writer in tile “Round Table.” Hitherto the question of Protection or Free Trade has been discussed almost entirely from the standpoint of which is the better for the' individual 5 nation. Npw) thanks to the League of Nations, States are just beginning to consider whether the world, including themselves, would not be much'more prosperous and more peaceful iF economic ehterprise were free and no ’longer interfered with by tariffs, subsidies and 'ehib'ai'goes. These interferences with free economic intercourse are iivreasingly diverting the development of the resources of the world and the abilities o‘f mankind from their natural conditions, making life unnecessarily expensive and unemployment eventually inevitable within each protected area.”

THE “CO-OPERATORS.”

“Co-operators have demonstrated, to tne satisfaction of Government commissioners, that they are better millers, better bakers, and better retailers’than private traders. 'Would it not be good business foi collectivists lo encourage co-operative development in the production of bread, and to concentrate on a sphere when the application of the collectivist ' fjiTnciple equally urgent the sphere of transport? During the war' scientific organisations of shipping 1 Sfived British const!rners a sum estimated at three, halfpence per. quarter loaf on freightage rates alone. Co-operators have captured one-quarter of the brend trade flrom private interests, ' Collectivists can aid them best by ca'pturing fresii fields rather than by encamping l ’on territories already occupied' by their co-operative allies.”—“Co-operative News.” 11

DEFIANT BISHOPS

“Defying Parliament,' the bishops authorised the clergy to follow the rejected new Book, at the 'same time announcing their intention of permitting no wider divergence. Unfortunately, this announcement was of little value, ft has always been found immensely difficult to check illegal practices, and the moral authority of a renewed attempt to do so was weakened at the outset by the obvious fact that the oishr.ps themselves were acting in defiance of the law. They were warned against the risk at the time they incurred it. It is something that they should now recognise that, it does,exist. The Church is at last facing the taci<o, and the nation must face , them, too. Disestablishment is not vet a political issue; no party,has adopted it as a policy. But the depth ot feeling created by . the discussions on the revised Prayer Book show how easily it might Become one.”—“Evening standard,” London.

FOOD TAXES. AND THE DOMINIONS.

“There will he no food tax at the general election and the people of this country will never have to pay a fooo tax unless they so decide it themselves.. The first business that will lie before us if we are returned to power, will ho to summon unconditionally a conference of the Empire to discuss these economic subjects and to get something done. The Dominions are autonomous and free. It is not for us to dictate to them. Tt is for us to meet in an atmosphere of perfect freedom, and if, as a result of those discussions, there should emerge any form of agreement, arrangement; treaty, whatever you like to call it, that docs give us great benefits and that demands in return a tax on some article of food from a foreign country or taxes on some articles, that, whole issue can he put clearly before our people. They would he able to judge for themselves and to say Aye or No”—Mr Stanley Baldwin.

FREE TRADE OR PROTECTION ? “If an appeal to the country came

in the next few months the candidatures of the United Empire Party would strengthen Labour in the boroughs and Liberalism in the counties. \ good many United Empire and offiConservative candidates would cut each other’s throats. Should a dissolution be postponed for a year or more ~ totally different set of considerations may come into play. The Imperial Conference would be held in early autumn ril propositions for the development J Empire trade would be freely dismissed. The results will show that anythin" like fiscal federation is now o S impossible as political federation. Vigorous improvements of trade, entor--riso, and intercourse under the flag -an b-e ensured in other wavs.”—Mr J L. Garvin in the “Observer.” --

THE NEW PRAYER LOOK CRISIS,

‘‘Members of the Church Assembly will do well to realise that dissatisfaction with the body to which they belong; does not imply hostility to the Clmnh of England as a whole. At the same time, it grows increasingly plain that if the principle of the Establishment is to be maintained, the Church Assembly must regain the good will and confidence with which it began its life ten years ago. It has not yet fulfilled expectation by coming truly representative of the rank and file of clergy and laity; it has followed the had Parliamentary tradition which Lord Hewnrt recently castigated as the new'’despotism. 1 . In declining its approved to the Pravor Book measuie Parliament was fully aware that the proposals had no unanimity behind them, and it was especially distrustful of tlm tendency of the bishops as a hodv to arrogate to themselves powers which the Church in England had never openly countenanced. The cure for present ills must be sought in a dingmw’.s and rooting out of the A.s'spmhlV’s weaknesses.” —"‘Daily Telegraph,” London .