ILLICIT TRADING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 122, 27 April 1925, Page 5

ILLICIT TRADING.

GREAT BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE. NEW TURK. April 24. Criticisms of Britain’s attitude to American rum-running and narcotio problems, and of her foreign policy as one of “pure greed and selfishness,” were contradicted by Sir Esme Howard British Ambassador, in an sddret6 to tho Sons of St. George at Philadelphia. He said that ho had heard of many - criticisms which either denied to British people any virtue at all or questioned “British professions of disinterestedness in their attitude towards the opium, liquor and smuggling questions.” lie declared that he took no notice of tho first kind of criticism, but the second was too insidious to overlook. There was no decent-minded man in Britain who did not deplore tho fact that there were evil disposed persons who abused the British flag in order to violate the laws of the United States in regard to liquor smuggling, lie declared that the liquor treaty between the United States and Britain was intended to remedy the evil, and although some arrests had been made which wore not quite within the terms of the treaty, tho British Government had refrained from protesting in view of the nature of the offence.

In outlining Britain's record in establishing liboral reforms, he maintained that “taking it all .round British rule the world over" stood not for “oppression, not for greed, not for graft, and not for more power and force.” He denied the statements that Britain had not contributed her share of sacrifices in the World War, and said that the Empire did not benefit as greatly from the war as some persons contended. —A. and N.Z. cable.