CONSERVATIVE POLICY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 9

CONSERVATIVE POLICY

MR. BALDWIN OUTLINES HIS PROGRAMME EFFORTS TO SOLVE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM A PARTY OF PERFORMERS; NOT OF PROMISES The British Prime Minister gave an outline of the Conservative Party’s electoral programme at the Drury Dane Theatre, before a gathering of leaders and organisers of the party. Mr. Baldwin described the Conservatives as a party of performers, not of promises, and declared that theirs was a policy of sobriety. He referred to the Government’s efforts to solve the unemployment problem and repeated his pledge not to impose taxes on food.

(United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

London, April 18. Mr. Baldwin, addressing two thousand Conservative leaders and organisers at the Drury Lane Theatre, out- ' lined the party’s electoral programme. The entire Cabinet was on the platform. Mr. Baldwin aroused general laughter by beginning: “Mr. Lloyd George has said that the Liberal is the party of promises. I accept that; I am no competitor; we are perform- ' ers.” < 1.1 Mr. Baldwin went on to emphasise the' seriousness of the Industrial situation. The general strike had proved a crisis, but since 1926 masters and men had been getting together. The Conservative efforts were directed at getting the men permanent employment The Government. had decided definitely against a scheme which would lead ' to large borrowings, believing that by borrowing they would run the risk of causing an inflation of the market, while the cost of living would rise. The Government was trying by arrangement with the Dominion Governments to make it easier for men and women to go to the Dominions overseas and the colonies. (Cheers.) It was now possible for practically all the boys in the depressed areas, if their parents were willing, to be transferred to districts where there was employment The Government was appointing & Commission to advise on the development of colonial territories. Reorganisation of Industries. Returning to the problem of unemployment, Mr. Baldwin pointed out that reorganisation was going on in all industries, with the result that Britain was recovering her competitive ' power. As progress was maintained, • unemployment would continue to fall. A factor of great assistance in the next five years would be that owing to the faU of the -birthrate during the war there would be several hundred thousand fewer entrants into industry than was customary. ; Mr. Baldwin continued: “This country has far to go in the direction of being humanised.” He repeated his pledge not to introduce Protection and not to Impose any taxes on food, and outlined a policy '■ bf further slum clearing and educational reforms. "Ours,” he said, in conclusion, “is a policy of sobriety. We promise nothing which we cannot perform.” ■ , NEW SPIRIT IN INDUSTRY BRITAIN RECOVERING HER COMPETITIVE POWER ■ .. i NEED OF SETTLED - CONDITIONS (British Official Wireless,) Rugby, April 18. The Prime Minister made his speech outlining the Conservative general election policy at a crowded meeting of Conservatives in the Theatre Royal* Drury Lane, to-day. He began by referring to a statement of Mr. Lloyd George that the Liberal Party was a party of promise. Mr. Baldwin said: “We are performers, and, while others are searching for policies to meet an emergency which is not likely to arise, we, on our part, have been immersed In a great struggle for years, and by a continuance of the policy in which we are engaged we shall continue the process tha| is now going on—that of conquering, unemployment. Masters and Men Getting Together. .“In the new atmosphere which has [ existed since the general strike masters and men have been getting together. The result of that new spirit has been to put fresh life into our industrialism. We are recovering from the world our competitive power? our trade is definitely improving, and, provided that no cataclysm of any kind in the way of a sudden reversal or alteration of . industrial policy in this country occurs, that progress will be maintained and improvement will continue to follow. So solid are the foundations on which British industry now rests that half a million of the surplus of unemployed have already been absorbed in industry, and I have every hope, given the con- ■ ditions I have just mentioned, that the figures will shrink in time to normality.

Permanent Solution Wanted. “Our efforts will be directed all the time, as they have been, to getting men into permanent employment rather than using palliatives. We are trying by arrangements with the Dominion Governments to make it easier for men and women to go to the Dominions overseas. We are trying by transference to get men from the black spots into districts where they can get work. We decided definitely against schemes that would lead to large borrowings, because we believed that they ran the risk of causing inflation in the country?’ What industry wanted to-day, he continued, more than anything else, were settled and stable conditions. Derating had removed from the overhead charges on industry between twenty and thirty millions sterling. It had given the greatest assistance that had ever been given to industry in this country. The Government was satisfied also that the safeguarding of industries was a most valuable adjunct to producing permanent employment? Help For Agriculture.

Turning to the question of agriculture, and the means of helping it in its present condition, Mr. Baldwin said that protection was.ruled out. A subsidy would be of no use unless it could be guaranteed that it would continue for an indefinite term of years, and no one could give that guarantee. The Government therefore had gone straight ahead to try to reduce the overhead charges on agriculture. The Prime Minister announced that the Government had decided that during the six months of the year from October to March, always an anxious time for the stockkeeper, beef for the British Army, Air Force, and Navy, when in home ports, should all be British home killed. It was also proposed as an experiment that at least 25 per cent of flour now in bond for the defence services should be flour-milled from home wheat for six months after the harvest. Clearing Slums. No work done by the Government would stand the scrutiny of the coun-try-more than that done by the Ministry of Health in housing. He believed that such progress had now been made in the building of houses , that the time had come to go forward farther and faster in the direction of clearing slums and reconditioning them. That would be the task to which the Conservatives, if returned to power, would devote the whole of their strength and mind. > . . Proposals were under consideration to extend maternity benefits under National Health Insurance. One of the first acts of the Government, when they came back, would be to form a strong committee to inquire into the whole subject of child welfare. The Government proposed to establish an independent commission to consider the development of new resources in colonial territory. Policy of Sobriety. In conclusion, Mr. Baldwin asked that the Conservative Partv should be judged by what it had performed. He would not, and could not, promise more than he could perform. “Ours is a policy of sobriety, which we can see through, of nursing our trade into better condition, of looking after the education and health of our people, and particularly of women and children, a policy which goes into every home and every cottage throughout the country. From end to end it is a policy which you know will be carried out to the utmost of our ability, and I will promise nothing more.”

THE DEBTS ISSUE PROMINENT IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN LABOUR’S INTENTION TO CAPITALISE IT -1 London, April 18. The “debt repudiation” debate is temporarily thrown into the background by Mr. Baldwin’s policy speech, but nevertheless there is every indication that it will flare up again into a prominent election issue, mdre especially in view of the fact that Mr. Baldwin’s programme does not contain any outstanding issue likely to focus the attention of the country. Labour certainly intends to capitalise the debts issue. Mr. Snowden, in the course of a lobby interview, said that throughout the campaign he would continue to criticise the Balfour Note. He has received a large number of letters, including some from the Conservatives, approving his policy. He is convinced that the Government has made Labour the gift of an excellent election card. It is most apparent that the debts question will be a vital appeal, as many people, rightly or wrongly, have the impression that much of the country’s depression is due directly to Britain’s heavy commitments. With one or two .exceptions Mr. Baldwin's programme finds an unresponsive echo in the Press. Though it is scarcely to be accepted as a reliable guide, it is interesting to note the reaction, on the Stock Exchange as an indication before and after Mr. Baldwin’s speech. In anticipation of the speech, Stock Exchange Conservative futures advanced three points, and Labour fell four points. After the speech Conservatives relapsed three and Labour gained two. Mr. Baldwin I *— '■he course of his nolicy sueech fore-

casted the return of the Conservatives with a majority of 50. The “Daily Herald,” Labour s organ, describes Mr. Baldwin’s appearance on the stage at Drury Lane as the tragic spectacle of a commonplace performer grinding out dreary nothings for anxious people looking for aid. “Mr. Baldwin starts with the thesis that the main duty of a Conservative statesman is to do nothing. The masses of the country are sick and tired of his sentimental rhapsodisIngs.” I. THE PREMIER’S SPEECH PRESS CRITICISMS Australian Press Association. (Rec. April 19, 7 p.m.) London, April 19. The “Dally Express,” which has been long insistent that unemployment is the paramount issue, says: “The references to the responsibilities of the Empire and the need for consistent development are excellent, but the references to unemployment are casual and superficial, which showed that the politicians had not genuinely applied their minds thereto and seemed unconscious that this was the supreme issue, not only at the election, but to our social and industrial state.” The “Daily Chronicle” says: “Mr. Baldwin .lived up to his reputation of being an honest man. He told his party that he could not promise a policy, because he did not have one.”

FUTURE OF THE EMPIRE POLICY OF LABOUR DISCUSSED IN HOUSE OF COMMONS ’ Australian Press Assn.—United Service. London, April 18. In the House of Commons, on the Dominions Office Vote, Mr. J. H. Thomas (Lab.) said that it had been declared that if Labour was returned the disintegration of the Empire was inevitable. A Conservative member: What about last night?” Mr. Thomas: “There will be no running away from that. The time was long past, he said, when the Union Jack could be considered the prerogative of a particular party. The suggestion of disintegration could best be answered by the record of Labour in office. As to what were their intentions when returned to power in June he quoted the settlement of the Irish Free State difficulty; how Imperial unity should be dealt with, and also the Indian problem in South Africa. Labour had been misrepresented on migration. He did not suggest migration as a solution of unemployment, but it was undeniable that it could be made an effective contribution to the solution. •' We must face,” he said, “the real difficulties of solution. Australia and New Zealand must be asked to apply ■ themselves to the problem as it affects them.” Labour’s main object, he added, if returned, would be not the disintegration of the Empire, but the consolidation and progress of a heritage of which all were proud. He moved to reduce the vote by £lOO. . Labour’s Administrative Acts. Mr. Amery .“(Secretary for Dominions) agreed that an overwhelming majority of members of all parties regarded the Empire as a great problem of responsibility, opportunity for free co-operation and wise trusteeship. Labour had not always helped in the direction of continuity of Empire policy. The Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 made an agreement with the Dominions which it was believed did not materially depart from Britain’s fiscal policy, but Mr. Snowden differed from it in 1924, causing discontinuity, which was resented in many parts of the Empire. Similarly the Imperial Conference, after the fullest consideration, had decided that Singapore base was necessary for Imperial naval continuation, but the Labour Government did not carry out-a continuity policy. Mr. MacDonald’s suggestion that the Imperial Conferences sho.uld include representatives of the Oppositions as well as of the Governments was impossible, owing to all the Dominions’ Governments’ disapproval. Mr. Amery agreed that whenever possible non-party ele-

meats should be brought in. The ! very fact that unity of Empire under the Crown was free and unfettered made it more imperative that there should be Inter-communication and personal consultation. The Govern ment had developed daily, communications, keeping the Dominions in toucl with every aspect of foreign affan-s. More important still, it had kept in close personal touch with the Higi Commissioners on big issues. While the experiment of Dominions representatives at foreign capitals was regarded by many as a doubtful experiment, it was proving of great value. Regarding migration, Mr. Amery said that since the Empire Settlement Act was passed 390,000 migrants had gone to the Dominions, and the majority had made good. During the past four years 215,000 had been assisted to the Dominions and 170,000 had gone unassisted. . One of the first things the new Government would have to do would be to see if the Empire Settlement Act needed • amendment, and that the machinery of the Overseas Settlement Committee be improved. Britain’s purchases of Empire products had increased by 11 per cent, since the war. Labour’s Rogue Elephant. Mr. Snowden seemed to be Labour’s rogue elephant on the subject of Empire as well as other subjects, continued Mr. Amery. In the course of a recent article in the Press, entitled “The Empire Bleeding Britain,” Mr. Snowden had poured contempt on Empire trade, and described the Empire Marketing Board as an unnecessary waste and Imperial preference as sheer humbug. Mr. Snowden had said that the British manufacturer was being excluded from the Dominion markets, while the British Taxpayer was paying expensively to’ advertise Dominion products. Mr. Snowden had gone on to complain that Australia bought 561 millions’ worth of goods from foreign countries and 69 millions’ worth from Britain. Mr. Amery emphasised that no foreign country took anything like such a large proportion of British goods. Mr. Thomas said he had not seen the article, but Mr. Snowden, who was absent, should not be judged on a few disjointed extracts. “I have no doubt that Mr. Snowden had no intention of repudiating the Empire—(laughter.)—but was putting his own construction on a very difficult problem.” ~ Sir A. H. M. Sinclair (L.) said that the migration of the flower of our manhood was disastrous. , Britain should conserve her racial capital by encouraging land settlement here. The Dominions Office vote was carried without division.