The Daily News. MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1922. A NATIONAL ASPECT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1922. A NATIONAL ASPECT.

When the Dominions, by virtue of their mobilisation of resources during the war, attained to the status of complete nationhood and partnership in the Empire, they entered upon a new era of cooperation and conjoint responsibility that involves a broader outlook on national and international affairs than has heretofore existed. By a unanimous resolution of the Imperial War Cabinet, and also the Imperial War Conference, an entirely new basis was given to British policy. 'The resolution reads: “The time has arrived when all possible encouragement should be given to the development of Imperial resources, and especially to making the Empire independent of other countries in ■respect of food supplies, raw materials and essential industries. ’ ’ In other words, there sprang into being an economic partnership of the Empire, covering much more than tariffs, the main essential being the stimulation of production as the lever for strengthening the Empire as a. whole and the Dominions as units. Although, when this great federating process of autonomous peoples became a reality, there was no idea of the unemployed problem assuming such large dimensions as it has reached, yet it was well understood that the surplus workers in the Motherland would'be available for development and production purposes in the Dominions, where greater population was essential to making the best use of their vast resources. It will be generally recognised, that to refrain from relieving the congestion of unemployed workers in Britain, and to neglect taking advantage of the opportunity to set these unemployed to work where labor is required overseas, would be nothing less than an economic mistake, quite apart from the active partnership of the Dominions in the Empire as a whole. It is this responsibility, as well as the realisation of the advantages to be derived from the mobilisation of British capital and labor for migration purposes, that demands both comprehension and action. The Imperial Government is willing and anxious to forward Empire development by means of men and money, and it is probable that if the Dominions settled upon a well thought out policy of public works and land settlement, then it may fairly be assumed that the Motherland will show a measure of generosity as regards finaiice that would amply recompense the Dominions and greatly add to their prosperity and the ability to bear the burdens left as a legacy from the war. An Act has been passed by the Imperial Parliament, empowering the Government to give guarantees of interest on approved capital issues for works in the Dominions. The objects of that measure are twofold . Firstly, to stimulate British industries by carrying orders for manufactured materials required in development works in the Dominions, it being a condition that such goods shall be purchased in Britain, thereby lessening unemployment. Secondly, to provide work for British emigrants in the Dominions and to assist in developing their resources. To what extent this scheme might be amplified under present conditions is not certain, but there exist good grounds for belief that if the Governments of the Dominions enter upon an organised scheme for absorbing immigrants on a fairly large scale, the Imperial Government would meet them more than half-way. It is all a. question of co-operation. No position of affairs could be more simple. The- Dominions want aid in development works and in greater production power. Britain can supply these needs. Obviously it is incumbent on the overseas Governments to obtain their urgent requirements now that the opportunity offers. .Equally obvious is the necessity for regarding this matter Imperially, and not from a narrow or parochial viewpoint. It will mean a recasting of land settlement policy. Unhappily it is the trivial bickerings of party politics that secure the attention which should be devoted to objects that really matter, but if the true welfare of the Dominion is to count for anything. then it it time the Dominions recognised that the duties and responsibilities of Empire partnership demand recognition, not in words but in deeds. The result would be to the great advantage of both Britain and the colonies.