Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 15, 1929 THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 15 July 1929, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 15, 1929 THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE

RECENT news from Paris and Berlin seems to show that the forecast, made by Lord Melchett a year or two ago, as to the formation of the nations of the European Continent into an economic union, may possibly be fulfilled. The cablegram from Paris said:— Much discussion has arisen concerning a scheme attributed to M. Bi'iand —(Foreign Minister of France) —for the formation of the United States of Europe. . . . It is recalled that when he welcomed Germany into the League, M. Briand declared that this was really the beginning of the United . States of Europe. It lias since been germinating in his»mind, and has developed into a scheme for an economic federation of Europe, followed later by a political federation, though it may look at present, it appears to' have taken root on the Continent. . . . Everybody seems to realise the ditlicully in carrying out the project without the support of Britain, from which there lias been no response whatever. The, fact that such a. stupendous plan has readied the stage of popular discussion proves indubitably the existence of great minds among the statesmen of Europe. As the cabled message indicates, the extraordinary difficulties which must be overcome before the great plan can be brought lo fruition, are well underRtopcl, and that is all to the good, for ,

its advocates, realising those difficulties, will not be lightly discouraged by them, but will make preparations to meet them. One or two of those difficulties are evident at the present time. -An economic union, such as that which exists fcinong the United States of America, if it is to be successful and permanent, must lie self-dependent and independent economically. That is to say, it must be able to produce not only all its own manufactures, but also all, or practically nil, the raw materials necessary for those manufactures. It must also be able lo produce its own food. Those conditions exist in the United States of America in a high degree, and that is why they are able to erect such tariff walls as effectually shut out the products of foreign countries, with the exception of those few commodities —such as rubber, for instance, and other tropical products—which thov cannot themselves

produce. Europe possibly may produce food enough for herself for many years to come, and may produce sufficient manufactured goods for her needs, if she can provido herself with the raw materials necessary for making them. But where would she get such things as cotton, rubber, coffee, spices and other tropical products,, except from countries outside her borders? And here, of course, is where the adhesion of Britain to the union would bo inyaluable, since her tropical Colonies would provide immense supplies of raw materials and edible products which are essential to the wellbeing of modern States. So far. however, Britain has mado no response whatever to the plan suggested by M. Briand. Holland, France, and Portugal possess large Colonies which, if not immediately, would ultimately bo able to supply Europe with all the tropical products she might require; so that Britain's defection should not permanently retard M. Briand's plan, though it might hamper it for a time. The reasons why Britain has not responded are easily understood. The Conservative statesmen would never , consent to tlio British Empire becoming an appendage of Europe. The Liberals, wedded to free trade, could not be expected to respond to an invitation to include Britain, to say nothing of her dependencies, in an essentially protective union. The Socialists, of whom Mr Ramsay MacDonald is leader, might be attracted by a plan which may possibly l£ad in the direction of Intel-nationalism, but they 100 are spellbound by the fetish of free trade, and in any case could not make any rosponse without consulting the rank-and-file of their Party, who are much more interested in the question of the nationalisation of mines, railways, and land than they are in Europe's economic difficulties. Of course the chief reason of Britain's abstention would be the fact that unless the whole Empire, including the'Dominions and India, were agreeable to enter the European economic irnion, which it is proposed shall ultimately become a political union, the danger would lie that any separate action on the part of' Britain might break up the Empire. Britain can afford to stand out of the European union because with the Dominions, India, and the Colonies and Dependencies of the Crown she can, if necessary, form, an economic union which would be selfdependent, and independent of both the economic unions of the United States of America and of Europe. And presently, if M. Briand's plan is brought to completion, she will have to consider, whether she likes it or not. what steps she will take to guard herself against the economic pressure which she will suffer from both sides of the Atlantic. In any case it seems plain enough that the principle of free trade is universally rejected, except in Britain, and that she can only maintain that principle •by adopting free trade within the Empire, with a protective policy against Europe and the United States of America.