WORLD CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1932, Page 5

WORLD CONFERENCE

ECONOMY MATTERS l ‘ MONEY PROBLEMS AND TARIFFS. I (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 4. The announcement from Geneva that the six representatives nominated by the financial and economic organisations of the League on the preparatory sub-committee,, will probably meet next week, has directed fresh attention towards the tasks before the projected conference. The subject matter of the conference, however, is not yet clearly defined. “The Times” recalls that the UvS.A. Government, in the agreement to take part, stated categorically that the invitation excluded from the agenda any discussion on tariffs as well as w_pr debts. “The", Times” says: If tariffs are not to be discussed, the extension to the international field of tile Ottawa type of agreements, which was anticipated. by Mr Bruce, in his recent broadcast address froth Washington, is deafly out of the. question, And if is difficult to imagine any results from a world conference which would justify the hopes expressed by Mr Baldwin and his colleagues, on their return from Ottawa. The solution of the monetary problem will be a substartial benefit to' world trade, but monetary systems cannot function in vacuo. They are only the machinery for facilitating inter-ohange of goods and services. There is little to be expected from any monetary reform, so long as nations pursue policies, (preventing, or at any rate/, hampering, this (inter-change. Nothing can be gained and much lost by attemptig to exclude from the discussion tariffs and war, debts, the very problems which call most urgently for solution.