The Press Wednesday, June 18, 1924. Britain and the Empire.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18102, 18 June 1924, Page 8

The Press Wednesday, June 18, 1924. Britain and the Empire.

Many of those who have been condemning the attitude of the British Government on the tariff question display an extraordinary want of sympathy with the Mother Country, and often express their views in a language and tone which cannot but distress an-.l repel the pure-hearted lover of Britain and the Empire. There is no reason why anyone in the Dominions who sincerely believes that tariff preferences arc' necessary to the Empire's welfaro should not say so, and us 3 every legitimate means of converting the British people to that belief. But there are innumerable reasons why the ardent tariffites in the Dominions should abstain from threats and bullying. The unity of the Empire which astonished and saved in 1914 was the result of the policy of mutual good-will, forbearance, and non-inter-ference which had gradually replaced the old system under which Great Britain exercised a considerable authority over the Dominions. It is not only reasonable, but even obligatory, to conclude that that unity will be impaired if coercion comes in again, if any State of the Empire feels that is being subjected to threats and pressure by the other States. Apart from this, however, there is the argument from good feeling, and it is to this point that we call the attention of tha enthusiastic tariffites here who may admire the truculent warning issued by Mr Stanley Bruce that if Britain does not grant tariff preference to Australian products Australia will prefer to trade with other countries. "Wo printed yesterday a summary of tho address delivered in "Wellington on Monday to the N.Z. Association of British Manufacturers by its president, Mr G. H. Scott. Pride, Mr Scott said, should take the place of criticism when the facts concerning Britain are clearly understood. During the war she not only bore the greater part of tho burden on. land and sea, but she undertook the, financing of her European allien. £he incurred enormous debts in doing this. Now the war is over she cannot recover even the money her allies borrowed if rom her, but she is paying her own* debts. Her National. Debt is over 7500 millions sterling, and the annual interest bill is over 300 millions. While piling up this tremendous liability, as Mr Scott says, she has honoured 'every obligation undertaken in connexion with her war efforts.. She continues to provide almost the whola cost of the itfavy upon which the safety of the Empire depends at this minute as completely as at any time before or during the war. She continues to provide the Dominions with the capital they need for their development. To jjjo all this her people are enduring hardships which have never come the vrity of the people in the Dominions. Surely these facts ought to be 'taken into account by those who, like Mr Stanley Bruce and many Protectionist!! in all the Dominions, are so ready to speak of Britain as if she were a disobliging foroigner. Instead of bullying and scolding Britain, the Dominions ought to be offering freely to do #ll they can do, and more than they ate now doing, to help her to recover her, strength and to give her some relief from her difficulties. If it is impossible for Ihem to remove the tariff barrier against British goods, they could at any rate increase the preference margin by lowering the existing duties on them, and make it a point of honour to purchase British rather than foreign products. In days to come the white population 'in tho Dominions will greatly exceed that of Great Britain, but for a gretft many years their safety, and the security for the survival of the Imperial connexion, must depend upon the strength of the parent State. Even on the lowest ground, the ground of self-inter-est, the Dominions should set themselves to do all they may to support Britain, and Bhould cultivate the habit of regarding as an enemy everyone who gives encouragement to those who would "cut the painter" in trade or anything else.