The Times. PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY JULY 6, 1917 EMPIRE PREFERENCE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 290, 6 July 1917, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY JULY 6, 1917 EMPIRE PREFERENCE.

U

Tl I K Prime M inister's speccli in the House on Wednesday upon llio question of the fiscal policy of the Empire brings into prominence a subject ol tlie very highest importance lo all of u.s and oiie that has too long been neglected ; too often we arc afraid because of ihw fears of our -o-eal!ed statesmen dial any interference with it would re acl unfavourably upon iheir nwn immediate prnspi < ts. No thinking man ha- i ver rellccw d upon !he astounding spectacle nf the various portion- u| die British Empire lieJi! i:ie„ our iinoiher !>y mean- ■•!' tariff- ! hindcimir. and in -one cases ;ibso|iite|y pmbiliiiin-. Ibe e\Chalite ■■!' die comi'" >.ai; ie- tin. \ pruiiin- al wil h -lit keliug thai ( '.irl' b' bad ■ i'i<■ jn-i ilirali-m i f, n- his angi > ■ •■!t Ini t-si w hen he I s;j'd i !■,-! l ill'' pnpuhi! i,,i| cuii- i I !: !,;i- :-,:, n ;i lib' and death ■ ii :i •_"_■.!•.• In!' e \i-l"in e I" ' liable tic bull ol 'he popohil ; -.|i l i iindc-sland that \\« Ikt e In en i \ ]<]</ niir i iv, ii band- bi hind on c back-, and al ilie -.;nne lim. pul' in;,' '•'■'' al' ,|!s in'" lie ha nd- | ~| mil ad\el !!'' . ' ■• I" i|.i." have -c< n i!i" b. la in.'.'., oid I \\ i|| o llainh pr. - - l.iu 'ids il. i i - • Thai pl.n'e lean 11 lie i»• • 11' iiaaie v.s ill had .! ! ". l-eileli !u pall ~, idi thi ;■■> MT lo aianlpllbile ■ llic lai ill I'ui | > 11' > or p> r- nal j.nrp :-i - Mia \ sailihn u-. bnl

purpose. We arc standing on the threshold of a now era commercially, socially and politically, ami so far as human judgment cari foresee nothing can

stop us fn>m stepping over it and iakins possession of our new kingdom. Modern time- can shew us no more far-seeing and clearsighted statesman than the late Joseph Chamberlain. His words and actions during the time lie was Secretary of State for the Colonies laid the foundation of the Imperial spirit that has grown so hugely in the British Dominions during the past decade, and it is scarcely farfetched io say thai it is directly owing to his influence that Britain's over-sea possessions sprang to her side so instantly and unhesitatingly at the outbreak of the war. We do not, of course, mean to say that aid would not have been given in any case, only public opinion would have had to he educated to the striking point had it not been for the sentiments of the unity and solidarity of the Empire first inspired by Mr Chamberlain. But for that the fine

moral effect upon the Motherland, our Allies and the enemy, of our immediate response to the call to arms would have been thrown away, and moral effect is a great factor. Strong as are the pride of race, the ties of blood and the conviction that the impregnability of the British Empire is the strongest palladium the civilization of the world can have, these building stone* of the fabri are none the worse for being cemented together by the material advantages to be won from mutual accommodation in promoting the exchange of commodities between the different parts of the greatest federation of free nations the world has ever known. Mo one realised this more plainly than Mr Chamberlain, and no one -trove more heroically to bring it about. The attempt failed, and we continued blindly to allow Germany to flood our markets with the products of her bountyfed industries, and to build warships and lay up munitions to cle<troy us with out of the profits. And all the while her markets were protected against

competition from our irmmifacturers. Another twenty years of the same conditions and Germany would have crippled us as completely by the capture of our markets and ''peaceful penetration" as she hoped to by the sword when she signed her death-warrant by challenging us three years ago. The state of Ireland and the excesses of the ''new woman" no doubt led her to believe we dared not pick up the gauntlet, but it will take her a century in sackcloth and ashes to find a place again anions the nations All will go well with Empire preference if the strokes that

are to shape it are but bold and -ure. '"Hew to tho line, let the chip-, fall where they will" is a line old maxim, but one little beloved by politicians. The statesman, as distinct from the politician, is a rare avis, not perhaps as extinct as die dodo, but as bard to find as the notorins Mantelli. But war is a rare educator, and we may feel sure that after it- close the electors, enlightened by suffering, will hunt out a few of these old-fashioned birds to mould a measure giving u- preferential trade throughout the Empire and to build a tariff wall that our enemies cannot climb over.