EMPIRE FREE TRADE

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 284, 4 January 1930, Page 4

EMPIRE FREE TRADE

The announcement that the rctiring Hi"h Conimissioner for New Zeuland in jjondon, !Sir Jarnes lJarr, is to reruain in England and devote his attention to assisting in the crusade for Imperial free trade will come as interesting reading to all New Zealanders, for in certain well-informed circles it was considered as liighlv probable that Sir James would return to New Zealand almost immediately and would again take an active yjart in the political phase of this country's life. However, we are informed that this is not to be and that Sir Jarnes Parr has accepted an important appointmenb that will engage bim for some considerable time in participating in the big campaign of the Enipire free trade movement. Tbis crusade is headed and inspired by Lord Beaverbrook, and ib has reached a stage when it is commanding serious attention at Horne and in tbe various parts of tbe farflung British Empire. A national -convention on the matter is planned for an early date, and tbe objectives of the conveners are concisely set out in a pamphlet recently issuecl by Lord Beaverbrook. A copy of this which has reached our hands provides interesting study. Lord Beaverbrook says that within the Empire we have a potential source of supply of all the food and nearlv all the raw materials which the Empire requires. We have political and racial unity, but we have no economic unity which will enable us to take our fair sha-re of the world s commercial prosperity. Suppose, he says, the British Empire were welded into just such another economic group as the fiftytwo different units of the United States of America (its resources are greater, its area larger and its interestS no less in unison), it would be able to defend itself from any kind of commercial aggression fronl outside. "Let us bave throughout our world-wide Empire," he says, "free trade, free commerce and a bigher standard of living than our less fortunate neighbours can possibly enjoy, and let us protect these great benefits by means of tariffs against sweated imports from abroad." This is the ideal which inspires the Empire crusaders. Can a practical policy Of Empire free trade ha framed to give effect to this ideal, and, if so, on what lines? . The Empire crusaders demand that food from the Empire sholl enter the Old Country absolutely free, unhampered by any tax or involved in any clumsy system of rebates. They claim that the Empire is already virtually self-supporting and ask that there sbould be true free trade through every part of it. There must be an inducement to the farmers of the Empire to expend their output and the best inducement is to guarantee them a steady demand for their products. It is proposed to giye such a guai*antee by imposing a tax on foreign foods and materials entering the Old Land, if, in return, the Dominions will allow the Old Country's claim for the free entry of British goods into their territories. By this granting of reciprocal advantages not only can Great Britain regain her former prosperity, but the infant industries of the Dominions are given a unique opportunity for development. The campaign initiated by Lord Beaverbrook is a new campaign based on entirely new ideal s and more particularly the oue that the Empire can, it it will, supply itself with its own food. The British Empire is an extraordinary varied coJlection of countries, spread over the whole globe and enjoy ing every type of climate. It contains a quarter of the world 's land surface and a quarter of its entire population. Why, then, should itsnot protect its own interests just as the United States of America has been doing for many years past? It is interesting to note that the promoters of this crusade are endeavouring to keep it non-political, and in this .conneetion it is well to study the line of thought of the various parfcies in the HOmeland. Mr Ben Tillett, M.P., president of the Trades Union Gongress, speaking recently, declared for the new policy. "We must organise as America has organised," he said. "We must mobilise our resources on an equal scale. An island nation cannot do this. but a world commonwealth can." Mr Lloyd George has recently spoken on the unity of the Empire, and Mr Baldwin has pronounced for "n policy of effec tive" co-operation" betwcen tbe dif ferent parts of the Empire. Lord Beaverbrook claims that by a policy of free trade withm the

Empire there would be co-operation instead of compet-ition, and instead of fluctuating markets there would be protection for liours, wages and prices. To tbis be adds: "The greatest political unit in tbe world would became also the greatest economic unit, and a new era of prosperity would open for the whole British race." The crusade upon which Lord Beaverbrook and his associates have embarked would certainly commend itself to a large portion of the Empire. The necessitv for amalgamation of our different economic units has for many years remained apparent. It remains for some force to weld tliose units into the migkty power for reciprocal good they must one dav become if our Empire is to prosper as in days gone bv.