The Empire's Greatest Problem.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 233, 8 December 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Empire's Greatest Problem.

On the Continent of America stretching from the Arctic e.rcle to near the Antarctic circles there are, outside Canada—the loyal and true—and our smaß Crown Colony of Guiana with some SSands in th;i Carribean Sea, only a series of more or less imstable Republics, excepting, of course, the Unite 1 States which cannot bo said to be unstable in form of Government but s scarcely to be commended on stability in her attitude to the War.

AMERICA AND THE GERMAN ELEMENT. The United States have certainly presented some peculiar problems during the last two years. Of mixed nationalities, the hyphenated GermanAmericans have been exerting a very active propaganda, indicative of racemethods which have caused considerable perplexity and alarm within the States. Counting only about eight mlUlions out of a hundred millions, the German element has been more active than any other section of the community by bringing a greater degree of pressure to bear on the Federal adminisation than all other natinalities combined. The pressure, however, has been resented by the more intelligent- - the great majority—of the citizens of the States. The fact is that, although the United States have an Englishspeaking population, the dominant fearing is not quite friendly to England, The Kympathy of the great bulk of the citizens of the United States ]s undoubtedly (with the Allies, but this lias found expression most of all in favour of Belgium. At the same time there is a high admiration for France. Withal, there is a lurking jealousy ot England which has not decreased with the progress of the War profitable as that has been to the States. Candour would constrain us, I think, to admit that recent events have chilled our respect for the States. They might have, done so much for civilisation and humanity. England will hav\3, I believe, the verdict of posterity in support of h°r opinion that the United States In this most terrible war have not acted-up to their great tradition. Like that other notorious neutral—Pontius Pilate—the President has washed his hands in public from deciding between Righteousness and Wrong. Looking at the States in their drab-coloured raiment of to-day, they are, so far as they know how, out to make a profit not only now but even more so when Great Britain and her Allies will have established Peace on the ruins of Europe. Such commercial advantages as the )Btates may gain will no doubt be due to their capacity as a manufacturing and producing country of almost limit, less resources. Against them the Allies will be under no need or inclination to deal exceptionally. The probability is that within the United States in the northern continent, as with Argentine and the other Republics in the southern, the German and the Yankee will meet on fairly equal terms. The contest will be interesting to watch. The Allies may be content to look on and take such part as opportunity may offer. Meanwhile they stand for reciprocity among themselves. A FURTHER RESOLUTION.

Reverting to the Resolutions of the Paris Conference, there is another which should be quoted:

"In order to defend their commerce, their industry, their agriculture, and their navigation against economic aggression resulting from dumping or any other mode of unfair competition, the Allies decide to fix by agreement a period of time during which the commerce of the enemy Powers shall be submitted to special treatment and the goods originating in their country subjected either to prohibition or to a special regime of on effective character."

German "dumping" in the past ha* had its apologists—even its advocates —in England. It has been claimed as beneficial by reason of the supply of certain goods thereby provided from abroad at lower prices than they could be produced by home manufacture, and that every such advantage was a national gain. Tins would be a sounder argument if " dumping" were not in its very nature a temporary expedirent calculated to capture certain markets with the intention of exploiting then. once they are secured, and tTius tend ing to disturb and disorganise trade. But it may he enough to remember that "dumping" in the past was one of the many means by which Germanv designed and to some extent attained supremacy, and that, as it helped to bring about the world-wide calamity of the present War it should he prevented in future. If Germany had met her customers at least in so far as the Allies are concerned, fairly in the past, there might have been ground for the objection; but, while Great Britair. had, under her former policy of Fro*, Trad,?, admitted Germany's mnnufnetures without duty, Germany applied >i very different policy. By heavy import duties she penalised the manufns. tures of her rivals. NO MORE "PEACEFUL PENETRATION."

!t requires no argument to enforcv. tlie conclusion that tlie form of what lias been called "peaceful penetration ' •by the establishment of brain-lies "■* agentfics by Germany in the countries of the Allies, and the whole law of naturalisation, which I as been mi hinused by Gormans, should hj? revived «■., that neither we nor our Al'io slioii! ! as in the past b.> subjoit .1 i . ■< form of hostile invasion and a scheme ■'' treasonable intrusion. Among othi i preparations in connection with '.ln Trade-War of the future, Germain, with chataeterif>tie foresight, his lnv.i directing sj>o-ir\l attend-on to wka must be an essential to rimmem-l success in tho future—n strong mercantile marine. Gnat Britain's former ascendency in this direction, ns "tl carrier of the world," has airad\ b' n shriously impaired by the destruction of many trading ships through the depredations of tlie enemy, while Brita'in's constructive power has bi en greatly restricted by the almost exclusive use of her principal ship-huild-fng yards by the Admiralty. But i.i face of the unavoidable delay in filling the orders of British ship-owners, it 1.1 somewhat remarkable that a considerable number of large steamships are under construction in British yard- tor neutrals. TOT: SHIPPING PROBLEM. Much apparently well-founded indignation has been excited by the high freights that are being imposed by our

BY GEORGE HUTCHINSON.

No. HI (Specially written for this supplement.)

sh'ipipng companies and the huge profits they are earning. A large proportion of these profits are not being distributed but are being carried to reserve for the purpose of adding to their fleets so as to make up the lee way of losses and to meet the great expansion of the carrying trade that is to be expected as soon as the War is over. But, of course, in so*far as our shipping companies ate unable to have their orders for nw ships carried out before the Peace, they will be at a disadvantage in face of the undoubted activity n ship-building in neutral yard*, and Germany also, amongst her other activities, is said to be steadily building to augment her mercantile marine. Germany, no doubt, lost a nuriibor of trading-ships at the commencement of the War by the seizures of all thathappened to be in the ports of the three Allies —as they then were —and these have all since been utilised against her; but a great number of German ships were either in neutril ports or sought refuge in such ports, and there they have remained. Unless some special penalities are imposed ' y the Allies these interned vessels will be free to resume their activities as soon as Peace is declared. Other ships or German register have been seized as new Allies came into line, as when Italy and Portugal joined. Some more have quite lately como under Allied control in Greece. Still a great number of German ships many of them < i the first-class, are being safely preserved iii neutral harbours. Especially is this the case in New York where whole docks are full of splendid liners. Others aro in the harbour of San Fransciseo and quite a number in the River Plate and the ports of the Dutci East Indies. It is said that the confidence of the Germans as to the result of the War —until lately almost without the quiver of a doubt was so strong that these interned ships ire all loaded up with raw materials —those in New York with cotton and other contraband of war, those in the East with copra, and all ready at a moment 1 '; call to resume their activities. Some of those vessels interned in the harbours of Holland have, it is reported, been disguised and been sneaking along, as near inshore as safe, back into the near-by home harbours of Hamburg and Bremen. In this connection n resolution by the Navy League should be kept in view if the Allies are (as we anticipated) in the position to dictate the terms of Peace. That resolution *i to the effect that Germany should be made to surrender ton for tori of merchant shipping of equal value to the vessels of the Allies destroyed or captured during the War.

NEW ZEALAND'S PART. Having now taken a hurried review of tli3 present position and prospects, we might consider what may be within our right as one of the self-govern-ing colonies of the Empire to do towards giving effect to the Resolutions of the Economic Conference. It was ;; thousand pities that New Zealand was not represented at that Conference. It would have bslen only a few hours' journey to Paris for our High Commissioner. Why he was not there appears to require explanation. It may l>e, as has been stated, that Mr. Hughes, the representative of Australia, represented also New Zealand: but that is" a view of the matter in which few, if any, will be disposed +o concur, and, although any representative of New Zealand would have been certain to have assented to the resolutions as passed at that Conference, it would have been better if we had been directly represented. In Paris there is a British Chaml>er of Commerce. I have had the privilege of Incoming acquainted with several of its more influential members, including the President. It was astonishing and humiliating to find how little was known of New Zealand as a country cl independent resources, but I am glad to say there was every disposition and even desire to become better acquainted with the position and capabilities of our r-omin'ion. Canada also ha-; special representation on the Committee, or Directorate, of the Chamber: and while I was in Paris there was :i delegation from Canada touring France to ascertain the basis for a reciprocal treaty between the two countries.

KRANCE OUR OPPORTUNITY. Krancc is the one Ally that present" the best opportunities for exchange >.t with New Zealand. -Meat is scarce and expensive. The poorer in habitants of whole departments or provinces scarcely knew the taste of beef or mutton, but the supplies which have since the War been reaching the soldiers of France will doubtless after Peace create a new demand when the;' who had fought and fed so well have returned to thvir ordinary pursuit". France lias long been protectionist and cannot be otherwise in the future excopt under conditions of reciprocity. Taking the French tariff conditions •;- ordinarily applied, one would expect the import duties on what may be termed illustrative New Zealand product-, to bo not more difficult to pur-(ha-o than similar products of any other country. Vet it is not so. You may not be prepared to hear fXiat th • products of another country have a I re!! rencc. and that country not an ally. Vet such an r.nom; ly lias been brought nlv>iit during the greatest eils's i.i the modern history of I'Y-uneo, perhtips b-cause of it. Von will remember bow frequently grave scandals have disgraced the political history .-f I'rmce- an cxperientv to which clenioe-r.-.cii - in all ages hive been exposed'— ■ n-i:nring. .t is said, the defects :»f i'■■. '■: o-i jit-:- vii-tt: s. Whit is pcrhap- " \ !' tb> w.-r-t --atifl'-ls of' i---o;T II '■■' not- ■ hap; cm i! w:l h role: - « • ■ tbe 'it;!; >it ;t'on ef I'' iiZ'Mi m.vf. (' i nv.it":-. r illy a Trcetv was :," !.- i -lb t': ■ A'-entHe f'o" th' ol t' • pr'ne'e 'I ; rulm !• -i' thai '• -i----tn! Ib; i-.g t*':e War, and I'o-Jiw vc i ■ ,"l! 1 . I',| I fFe-t t'|is (••lD'-ni'tv 'tin!; •' Was ':,-.-■-! lv v: !r ..,t in -ee-it br'bcs tm it tm - and !)• | ;i' i- -. I'iotc i« ;'- t' ■ doubt thai !■: d not the ath nt : ot r>" ill,- loiintrv been almost coinpHolv ;,!-■ b.d in ti,",. War many of these leg-:-!elo-- \. n'd have b en promptly cond mil- -I to tlw liulks for the reiiiMinder of their natural lives. As ithnppenel, : attention wis aecidelltally directed to , the scandal, and a modified tariff ai ranged, which however, gives •■ considerab!'.' preference to the neutral. ; ft is not iiniirobable thai when there ' i= t.aie to fully investigate the tran*Mction a< revised, it will not bonllowo] to -land, ft is, of course, in din ct i-ontrav 'ntion of the Resolutions of the t'onfercnee. (To lie Continued.)