The Taihape Daily Times MONDAY, MAY 29, 1916. A POST-WAR DANGER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 126, 29 May 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

MONDAY, MAY 29, 1916. A POST-WAR DANGER.

AND WAIMAEINO ADVOCATE (With which is incorporated The Tal bape Post and Waimarino News.)

The Board of Trade is consulting with Chambers of Commerce on the question of post-war Empire trade. In reading through deliberations one is struck with a strong feeling that the patriotism of importers is, and is going to remain such that the country may expect desperate opposition to any comprehensive and effective movement for establishing Empire wide conditions that will not contribute to Britain’s disadvantage, if not her trade disaster. Although, at the present time, enemy goods are prohibited they are arriving in New Zealand and are being sold continuously. It seems that Britain and her Dominions are bent upon commercial suicide, which, of course, means national suicide; greed of'the commercial capitalist and shipowner is backed so largely in the Empire’s Councils that it looks as though it is this detestable, inhuman propensity that is going to cause the downfall of the Anglo-Saxon peoples. These views do not come to us from what is transpiring in New Zealand alone, but also from what is taking place in Britain!. Importers and shipowners there are against any steps of a preferential nature beingtaken; they urge that if any embargo is placed cn German trade it will all go to America. Is it not better that it all went to Halifax than that Britain should again feed up Germany with the werewithal to bring about another such catastrophe on the world? They are afraid of cutting safely clear of the viper that is challenging our Empire’s right to exist. A state of war enables some of them to double their whole paid up capital with one year's war profits. These profits are more to these men than the continuity of the British Empire. Look at it as cue will, that is what their attitude on this post-war trade means. Legislation will ( through their influence leave dangerous loopholes in any trade wall that may he erected against our enemies. Too much consideration cannot be given to this question by Chambers of Commerce, and too ranch care cannot be expended in educating <he people. letting them understand, fully, the pros and cons of a subject J that has contributed so much to the [ cause of this great war. Every Cham- J her of Commerce should have an en- j thusiastic Empire Trade Committee whose function it would be to keep

pace with the movement the world over, and report at length to ordinary meetings so that, at least, the weapon of moral suasion may be tempered and sharpened to its fullest, ready to be used whenever occasion arises. Legislation is being asked for* to prevent the dumping of any part of the two hundred millions worth of goods waiting in Germany for peace tp be declared, and for future preferential treatment of British trade. Large powers of discovery are also being asked for, so that the Customs Department, in co-operation with commercial representatives, to prevent the entry of enemy goods in the guise of British wares. The opinion has been expressed that not only the distributor, but the consumer should be empowered to legally identify the origin of manufactured goods offered for sale. The importance of this proposal is obvious; its adoption would render any campaign of moral suasion distinctly worth while. The consumer has always been able to detect where goods came from but knowledge thus gained didn't count legally. With the enactment of such a provision we see the huge possibilities of an Empire Trade League such as the President of the Taihape Chamber evolved, for, at present, we do not see any more effective means of educating our young people on the subject. Lectures and campaigns of instruction, including school lessons, are mentioned, but they would be almost valueless without some such organisation as that ‘■he Taihape Chamber has proposed. In an educational propaganda the Government should devise means of uersuading the public and particularly traders that it is to their personal interests even, to deal in British 'roods. Information respecting the origin of all imported goods is essential ‘o the success of any preferential ’cheme; we must know what enemy or alien goods are coming in and who ’mports them, and if legislation will msure this, n successful educational ropaganda is assured. Unless laws i re enacted to give the essential information, moral suasion campaigns i re doomed (o failure. That the legal mowers can be secured is certain, it only remaina for Chambers of Commerce to start the ball and keep it igorcusly rolling.