TRADE TALKS NOT TO BE INITIATED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 11

TRADE TALKS NOT TO BE INITIATED

Mr. Bruce’s Visit To U.S.A. “Entirely Unofficial”

FINDING OUT AMERICAN VIEWPOINT

By Telegraph.—Tress Assn. —Copyright. (Received December 16, 7.30 p.m.)

NEW YORK, December 15

The Australian High Commissioner in London, Air. S. M. Bruce, arrived here today, but, since the liner Queen Maty was almost 12 hours late, arrangements made for meeting him had to be modified. Members of the official party appointed to meet him were compelled to return to Washington by air before the vessel docked, because of the necessity of attending the President’s diplomatic reception.

The city authorities provided a police motor-cycle escort to his hotel. Mr. Bruce will remain in New York till late on Saturday, because of the loss of a day here, but he expects to leave Washington on December 23, according to schedule.

In an interview with the Australian Associated Press. Mr. Bruce stressed the point that he had no mission to initiate trade agreement discussions, to inform the United States Government regarding British policy, to make important addresses in America, to make any specific investigations or otherwise to carry out anv official mission. "Naturally I will listen to everything I can hear about the agreement situation and about the American attitude to European affairs, or anything else that can possibly be of interest 'to Australia, and when I report to my Government I will indicate what I have learned,” said Mr. Bruce. “Perhaps it will be possible later to estimate for the Australian public what the American viewpoint is regarding this or that international question. Maybe I shall know better as a result of my visit to Washington.”