WORK ON RESUMPTION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 591, 24 July 1933, Page 5

WORK ON RESUMPTION

(British Qfficial Wireless)

MR. BRUCE OUTLINES THE AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE

a striking declaration

Rugby, July 21. In its plenary session the Economic Commission of the World Economic Conference received the report of its rapporteur, Mr. Walter Runciman, outlined this morning. :The chairmdh, Dr. Colijn, read a letter from the chief United States delegate, Mr. Cordell Hull, expressihg the hope that during the conference recess the Governments through diplomatic and other channels, woui'd produce substantial proposals towards f ulfiliing the fundamental pui'pose of the Conference. Mr. Hull enclosed the proposal of ja possible agreement for a protracted j truce against measures restrictive t'o I international trade. Australia Against Restriction ! During the discussion of the repol't j Mr.'S'. M. Bruee emphasised that Aus- t tfalia, although willing to co-operate j in seeing what action could be takdn j in regard to a particular commodity, was not prepared to subscribe to tHe j principle .of the restriction of production which he maintained would not | achieve the general objective of the i Conference. A special drafting committee was

set np to revise, in the light of the discussion, the text of the Commission's report. "Dissents Entirely." The Australians refused to believe for one second that the real object of the conference was the raising df prices by the mass restriction of production. Australia was prepared to consider action where the circunistances were exceptional — ^for eiample, tremendous stocks — but only as part of a co-ordinated plan, with the endorsement of the producing countries eoncerned. Australia dissents entirely from the daii-y produce report, by which no useful purpose can be served. Mr. Bruce concluded his speech with the striking declaration: "This report presages Government 011 the basis of Socialism, Fascism or Coihmunism. Australia declines to be a party to anything of this kind." Mr. Bruce's speech made the Conference blink, and it was probahly the Conference's most outspolcen utterance. The Italian delegation, who are Fascists, Mr. Maisky, the Soviet Ambassador, and several fore.ign Socialists sat bewildered as Mr. Bruce castigated their creeds.