BRITISH LIBERALS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1930, Page 6

BRITISH LIBERALS

FREE TRADE POLICY,

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, Nov. 4

Much interest is manifested in all quarters concerning the attitude of Liberals towards the Government. It is believed Mr Lloyd George is dissatisfied, (but hestitates to strike a blow involving a general election. The Liberal Parliamentarians at a meeting to consider their attitude towards the Conservatives’ amendment/ on unemployment to-night, decided by a majority to abstain from the division.

“Britain’s position rather resembles Australia’s, except that we can finance ourselves from savings. We have still great overseas investments, and we are not suffering enervating effects from tariffs,” says a Liberal pamphlet dealing with unemployment, and signed by Mr Lloyd George, Lord Lothian, and- Mr Seebohm Rowntreo “-The -real facts must Ik presented in such a manner as to compel action. Tlie best course in that respect would be a conference representative of the employers, trades. unions j banks and distributors, to which the Government would point out the seriousness of the industrial position.”

The pamphlet proposes a ten per cent cut in the national expenditure, on the recommendation#? of a new “axe” committee reporting within six months. It also proposes the creation of one hundred thousand familj farms in Britain, these aiming .at the capture of 'as much as possible of the two hundred million pounds worth of dairy products imported from abroad. The proposals will include a 250 million loan to finance a variety of schemes in connection with roads, bousing, town planning, telephone and eleotrical development, providing, together with agricultural proposals, work for .seven hundred thousand, people, which figure risingto one million, is that at which the booklet puts the ’ number of unemployed in excess of those normally unemployed in the course of their transfer between in dustries, which transfers have been persistent -since the war. It fears that unemployment will reach two, and a half millions before Christmas. It is also proposed to encourage industrial banks, and to restore the export credit system, especially with a view to the development of (Russian trade. It is proposed vigorously to press for Empire development,, and also to advertise British grown goods on the lines of the Marketing Board.

It adds: The real way out is increased efficiency, meaning that the trade unionists must not limit the output, and that .the..-other parties to indusry must make similar sacrifices.