WHY NOT THE EMPIRE?

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 62, 10 September 1925, Page 4

WHY NOT THE EMPIRE?

In his presidential address to the Trade Union Congress, Mr. A. B. Swales "demanded the extension of trade with Eussia." If he made any similar demand for extension of trade with Canada or Australia or New Zealand or any other part ■ of the Empire it was not sufficiently emphatic to *>be mentioned in the summary of his speech which was cabled to us. Eussia,' apparently, had pride of place. Why should this be so? Eussian custom Ib not so valuable now and was not bo valuable before, the war' as that, of many parts of the Empire.. In 1913 Eussia bought British produce to the value of £18,000,000 and foreign and colonial produce consigned from Britain to the value of £9,500,000.' In the same year the British produce exported to Can,'ada was worth £23,700,000, ,to Australia £35,500,000, and to New Zealand '£10,800,000, Surely; then, the trade of the Empire is worth encouragement, and at least equal mention .with Russia, from the President o£ a Congress representing workers who are vitally concerned ■ with British prosperity, the sale of British goods, and, the employment which such sales provide. Why, then, should Eussia take first place, Unless it is that in Mr. Swales's mind the encouragement of the Soviet looms larger than the welfare of the workers, and much larger than: the interest of those wide Dominions which are British through and through with no desire for emancipation upon the .Eussian plan i: