The Dominion WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1929. THE NEED OF AN EMPIRE OUTLOOK

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 288, 22 August 1923, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1929. THE NEED OF AN EMPIRE OUTLOOK

Onh view of the Empire Economic Conference about to be held in London is that its success will be in proportion to different parts of adaptability manifested by representatives SUn Tt is suggested, for instance, that the Mother Country may modify her tLditiS free-trade policy, though less by a direct development of fiscal preference than by alternative measures such as subs ‘^ es 0 Fmnire shinning. The complementary suggestion is that the Do & wUrt .uoh i» Pl- d t X!“ «l"»y'"X This is well enough as far as it goes, but the basis ot any reany important and promising dorrlopm.nt ol “S'SVnl on Imnorial scale must be a practical recognition ol the tact that the teVeAl countries of the Empire have interests in common which heavily outweigh their existing differences in policy. What really needs to be considered is that if the vast and varied resources of the Empire are turned wisely to account they will easily satisfy the needs of all sections of the British. nation. If the British people agree to develop and utilise the Empire as a family estatetheir common heritage—they will be assured of a magnificent future. There is ample scope in this Empire of ours for a process of national expansion which will not only solve existing economic problems, but will enable the British people to lead the world in liberal P In order that this destiny may be realised, however, there must be a general determination to apply the human and materia] resourofs of the whole nation to the best advantage in occupying and developing the Empire. Such a determination would find practical expression in an agreement by the Mother Country and the DoSnions to combine in a methodical and continuing survey of the resources of the Empire. . ■p^u; o h At present the human and material resources of the British nation are employed to a great extent haphazard and with little enterprise. In the United Kingdom, for instance, much productive power (both labour and capital) is now idle, or is obtaining poor returns, which undoubtedly could obtain vastly increased returns if it were transferred to undeveloped or under-developed territories of the overseas Empire. , . . It is not, of course, suggested that there m any easy, simple, or direct remedy for this state of affairs. What may be suggested, however, is that an assured remedy might bs worked out by an effective mobilisation of the scientific and technical resources of the nation. ... ~ What is needed is that the trained intelligence of the. nation should be concentrated directly on the problem of developing and utilising the untapped wealth of the Empire. In advocating such a policy of Empire development oversea representatives will find themselves to an extent at least on common ground with some of the most progressive and enlightened leaders of British commerce and industry. Many of those who direct the economic life of the United Kingdom are still handicapped by a narrow and limited outlook, and cling to routine methods which are incapable of satisfying, modern national needs. A proportion of the leaders of British industry, however, are exhibiting an ability and determination to move with the times in economic development. An admirable lead to such a gathering as the Economic Conference was given, for example, by Sir Alfred Mond when he spoke at Swansea recently on the application of science to industry. In these days of economic disturbance, he said, one fact emerged more clearly to his mind than any other.

If we were to regain in the financial field what we loet owing to the Great War, it could only be by increasing the whole production of the country. We had to increase the production of real commodities in relation to manpower, we had to adopt better methods of manufacture, to produce at lower cost, and find new means of enriching the world. It wes to the scientist, above all other men whether chcrn ist, epgineen. geologist, biologist, or the follower of the multifarious branches of scientific work, that we must look for help. The application of scientific invention and scientific method, ot mew processes and new products constituted the avenue of ’eecc.pe from our present economic dilemma. These truths plainly invite an even broader supplication than they were given by Sir Alfred Mond. The British nation evidently cannot better or more hopefully approach a solution of its economic problems than by using methodical and well-directed scientific investigation as a master-key to unlock the resources of the Empire. Promoted in common by the Mother Country and the Dominions, a scientific and technical investigation of the resources of the Empire, continued methodically from year to year, would lay an assured foundation for economic co-operation and expansion. Supplemented by judicious enterprise in fostering inter-Empire transport services and marketing organisations, and in influencing the flow of British investment capital to Empire destinations, such an investigation would facilitate and encourage an ever-increasing concentration of British resources on the occupation and development of the Empire. The way would thus be opened to a full measure of Imperial economic co-operation'which would permit and encourage an effective redistribution of the white population of the Empire and a progressive expansion of its material resources.