“British Empire Bleeds Britain”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 643, 20 April 1929, Page 9

“British Empire Bleeds Britain”

MR. SNOWDEN’S ATTACK V REPLY MADE BY MR. AMERY (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) LONDON, Thursday. Following Mr. J. H. Thomas’s motion in the House of Commons that the Dominions Office vote he reduced by £IOO, the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. L. S. Amery, said he agreed that an overwhelming majority of the members of all parties regarded the Empire as a great problem and responsibility, and the opportunity for free co-operation in a wise trusteeship. ■ The Labour Pflrtv liar! nnf nl-

ways helped in the direction of continuity in Empire policy. The Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 made an agreement with the Dominions which he believed had not materially departed from Britain’s fiscal policy. But Mr. Snowden differed from it in 1924, and caused a discontinuity which was resented in many parts of the Empire. Similarly the Imperial Conference after the fullest consideration decided that the Singapore base was necessary for p. continuous Imperial naval policy, but the Labour Government had not carried out a policy of continuity. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald’s suggestion that the Imperial Conferences should include the leaders of the Oppositions' as well as of the Governments was impossible, owing to the disapproval of all the Dominion Governments. Mr. Amery said he agreed that wherever possible non-party elements should be brought in. The very fact that the unity of Empire under the Crown was free and unfettered made it more imperative to have inter-com-munication and frequent personal consultation.

The Government had developed daily communications, and had kept the Dominions in touch with every aspect of foreign affairs. More important still, it had kept in close personal touch with the High Commissioners on important issues, while the experiment of pending Dominion representatives to foreign capitals, which had been regarded by many persons as a doubtful experiment, was proving of great value. Mr. Amery said one of the first things the new Government would have to do would be to see if the Empire Settlement Act needed amendment, and if the machinery of the Overseas Settlement Committee could be improved. Britain’s purchases of Empire products had increased by 11 per cent, since the war.

LABOUR’S “ROGUE ELEPHANT” Mr. Snowden seemed to be the Labour Party’s rogue elephant on the subject of the Empire, as well as on other subjects. In the course of a recent article in the Press entitled "The Empire Bleeding Britain,” Mr. Snowden poured contempt on Empire trade. He described the Empire Marketing Board as being an unnecessary waste, and Imperial preference as “sheer humbug.” Mr. Snowden had said the British manufacturer was being excluded from the Dominion markets, while the British taxpayer was paying extensively to advertise Dominion products. „ Mr. Amery said that Mr. Snowden went on to complain that Australia bought £56,500,000 worth of goods from foreign countries, and £69,000,000 worth from Britain. Mr. Amery said no foreign country took anything like such a large proportion of British goods. Mr. J. H. Thomas said he had not seen the article, but Mr. Snowden, who was absent from the debate, should not be judged on a few disjointed extracts. “I have no doubt,” said Mr. Thomas, “that Mr. Snowden had no intention of repudiating the Empire (laughter), but was putting his ovn construction on a very difficult problem.” Sir Archibald Sinclair, Liberal member for Caithness, said the migration of the flower of British manhood was disastrous. Britain should conserve her racial capital by encouraging land settlement in Britain. The vote for the Dominions Office was carried without a division.