The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1930 EMPIRE ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1930 EMPIRE ECONOMIC CO-OPERA-TION.

Thai 1 the Imperial Conference : would strike ah immediately .promising trail in a search for the .solution of the economic problem confronting it was not to bo expected considers an change. Whether it ka to make even any appreciable programs in ths desir-. cti direction in the course of its examination of the position may well appear to be a matter of doubt. The preliminary interchange of views cannot have left a very encouraging irnpreission. The various members of the Empire family made their initial avowal or confession of faith as dictated, of course, .by tile circumstances in which they are individually placed. Thus Mr Thomas “I say on behalf of the Government that our first thought must )be of our own people, just as the dominion delegates have been saying that their policy puts their portion of the Empire first.” It is an awkward hurdle which presents itself thus early, albeit a very familiar one. If Mr Baldwin’s party were in office the way might be opened for an agreement that would put to the test the possibilities of economic co-operation through extension ot the preference system. Mr Baldwin speaks of the great- principle of Imperial preference embodied in the Canadian Prime Minister’s offer of mutual preference as “one to which we must and do subscribe. ’ The E>i'li,r,h Government's attitude is, however, cold in that relation, and its reservations are clear-cut. It has informed the dominions that it is willing to consider any proposal, not excluding preference, but such consideration must he based on two general conditions; it cannot agree to any proposal involving an increase in. the cost ot living in Britain or a sudden interference with commercial treaties with other countries which are already in existence. 'lt is instructive to note the re-affirmation by Mr W. Graham, President of the Board of Trade, in an address at Edinburgh, that the taxation of foodstuffs and raw materials would 'be disastrous for the British people as consumers, would immediately ir.ee the cost of production for important sections of their industry and commerce, and would throw Great Rll ain into the turmoil of tariff retaliation Air Graham hats .declared hims<d|- to be satisfied that there is nothing to he hoped from tariffs as regrads the development of the home • market and the alleviation of unemployment in Britain. His expressed belief is that in the spheie of commercial development there is 100 m for the Mother Country and the dominions to effect valuable reciprocal orn.,ni<milieut,s. It is to lie honed that it ,nav bo s„. The differences oi opinion on lira al matters in the Old Country find somewhat tedious controversial reflection. Says Professor 'Gilbert Murray: ‘•The traditional champion of Free Trade throughout the world, Great Britain, has of hU-e shown signs of betraying the cause.” And he adds “It is a matter of life and death to us that the cause of Free-trade or freer trade should he

victorious throughout the world.” But, apart iron, the world at largo, Empire Free-trade is impossible .from olio point of view of dominions that are bent on protecting their industries, and can only 'ire a name lor a series of tariffs and .preferences within the Empire combined with a shutting off of trade outside. As for the .prospective world -victories of ErCetrade, even Professor Gilbert Murray with his appeal to the international machinery, the World Economic Conference, is not really very encouraging. What form. then, is Empire economic co-operations to take? 'Phene is at least room for hope tha! the Imperial Conference may be able to give a useful answer to this pressing question It is stated that the New Zealand delegates to the Conference have gained the impression that the Free-traders still dominate Mr Ramsay MaeDanaid’s Cabinet. That impression will not bo confined to the New Zealand delegates. Whither discussion on possible methods a; trade organisation on a preferential basis, mutual trade rationalisation, and so forth—.proposals very vaguely indicated so far—may lead, it is useless to so ecu la to in the meantime. “3 he present conditions of Empire affairs,” wrote Commissioner Lamb of the Salvation Army in an open letter to the Conference, “is, I submit a danger, a scandal, and a reproach not Only to profession til statesmen, biit tiiso to the L’omrtioiisfense of the British race. Jn lile Homeland thebe life tfeiis o T flionsancls of p.bic- l 'odied motl ahd women being maintained in idleness, while in the overseas dominions vast areas of rich lands, valuable fisheries, immense forests, giout mineral deposits be undeveloped.” Unfortunately there is also an unemployment problem in the dominions. There is the question of what Empire co-opera-tion may bo Mile to effect in . a noneentroversial field. “There are many ways,” 01 g-s the writer of a considered article in the Round Table, ‘in which science, ,by inorer/nn.g production, improving the product, and lessening loss ijrom disease and pests, can increase the sum trade more effectively than any tariff.”