STARTLING SPEECH

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1933, Page 2

STARTLING SPEECH

BY MR BRUCE. WHERE AUSTRALIA STANDS. , • V LONDON, July 21. Mr S. M. Bruce (Australia) voiced unexpected and outspoken dissent from ■virtually and entire work of the Con-ference-and roused' members attending the penary, session of the World Economic Conference. He declared: “For this Conference to have achieved nothing but limitation of production, or a plan of campaign in that direct:on,is indeed an admission that the Conference has up to the-present failed .in the policy of price-raising upon which it embarked. We are not desirous of being associated with such an action, which, instead of benefiting, will quite possibly ultimately prove disastrous.”

. Mr Bruce intervened at the outset of the seriatim discussion on the Eco- .•• . , ! ]ioniic Commission\s voluminous report, declaring that, although Australia did nob dissent irom the report, he desired to clarify certain aspects of Australia’s attitude in dealing with the co-ordina-tion of production . and marketing. Australia greatly regretted that there should have been such concentration

upon the limitation of production. Australians refused to believe for one second that the'real object of the Conference was the raising of prices by

mass restriction of production. Australia was prepared to consider such action where the circumstances were exceptional; for example, where there were tremendous stocks; but she would then consent only ns part of a. co-ordi-nated plan with the endorsement of the.; ; producing countries concerned. Governments could net initiate or control production, nor could primary producers alone operate it.

“Australia dissents entirely from the

dairy produce report, hv which no useful purpose can be served,” lie said. Mr Bruce concluded his speech with the following striking declaration — “This report presages government on the basis of Socialism, Fascism op Commusism. Australians declines to he a party to anything of this kind.” Mr Bruce’s speech made the Conference blink and it was probably the

Conference’s most outspoken utterance. The Italian delegation, who are Fascists, M. Maisky, the Soviet Ambassador, and several foreign Socialists sat bewildered as Mr Bruce castigated their creeds.