JAPANESE MENACE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 33, 2 November 1933, Page 11

JAPANESE MENACE

Competition in Textile Industry ACTION IMPERATIVE London, October 31. General Page Croft, Jt.P., at a meeting in Manchester, said: ‘‘We are faced with Japanese competition on all sides.” He emphasised the low Japanese wage rates, and added: “I cannot understand why we permit our cotton goods to be driven from the markets in the Crown colonies and protectorates when we could insist on preferential treatment.” The speaker urged that it was essential to denounce tfle treaty of St. Germain en Laye whereby Kenya, Uganda, and Nyasaland were placed on a free trade basis. He added: “Make sure of your Empire markets while you can. The French and Italians don’t stand any nonsense with their colonies.” The “Evening Standard” says that Britain must adopt drastic measures to deal with Japanese textile competition. In consequence of depreciated currency and other reasons, some British manufacturers could not compete with the Japanese, even if they were relieved of the necessity of paying wages, dividends and freights. The situation is growing worse. The ordinary tariff is ineffective, and special duties on competitive articles are imperative.