Insulation And Trade Treaties

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 68, 13 December 1938, Page 13

Insulation And Trade Treaties

Sir. —The more one thinks about this “insulation” business the more one recognizes what delicious nonsense it is. It isn’t much more than two years since our Finance Minister set out on his great trek lasting for 10 months t<> America, Britain and Europe (including Russia). The object of this very extended tour was to arrange commercial treaties with British and foreign countries. Now if at that time, as we are now expected to believe, the great insulation scheme were in contemplation . n would be rank hypocrisy to argue with other peoples for trade treaties except those of the type made with Germany, the effect of which is to limit, not expand, trade. According to latest advices even his German friends are turning the Minister down. The great need of the world today is international trade. Most nations, specially totalitarian States, are wrapping themselves in a cloak of selfsufficiency which tends to stifle all international intercourse. , Great Britain and the United States have just set a noble example in removing trade barriers and it is sad to think that our present rulers are so shortsighted and have so little world outlook that they will clothes themselves and us in the garments of the dictator States. Trade treaties and embargoes on trade cannot possibly go together. You could just as easilv have a black-white man or a yes-no P hilo6O P^ r ’^ l s^^ C g s . Wellington, December 12.