BEAVERBROOK PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 133, 9 June 1930, Page 11

BEAVERBROOK PLAN

THE EMPIEE FAKMERS

SPEECH BY SIR J. PARR

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 2nd May. Sir James Parr, speaking at AVcston-super-Mare Rotary Club on behalf of the Empire Crusade, referred.to the fact that many critics had contended that none of the Dominions approved of the "Beavcrbrook" policy of Empire free trade. ' Such a contention, said Sir James, was entirely wrong. Naturally, until Britain made an. official and definite proposal round a table of Prime Ministers, the Dominions could not officially say much about the matter. But Lord Beaverbrook 's campaign had undoubtedly aroused the greatest interest, overseas, and strong support was already indicated. Almost every Dominion primary'producer would vote for tho new policy, and in many Dominions the farmer was tho predominant factor. In New Zealand especially was this the case, where half of the Parliamentary electorates '' belonged to tho farming community. Ho had sat in a Ministry in New Zealand where seven out of eleven of tho executive were farmers. The agricultural industry, therefore, in New Zealand at least, was the most influential in tho community. In addition to the farmers, many dependent allied industries, such as meat freezing and dairying, would support tho new policy. Already the largest dairying organisation in New Zealand, representing many thousands of small farmers, had declared for Empire free trade, and the Australian Country Party was of tho same mind. Indeed, as tho new policy would not prejudice established Dominion local industries, he thought it was almost certain to receive the support of tho majority of tho people. There could be no question that tho predominant desire of most of tho Dominions was to help the Motherland, and to do more business with her. SHELTERED MARKETS. AVith regard to Australia, Sir James was afraid that tho position was not clearly understood. Mr. Scullin had pronounced against Empire free trade, but.ho was, however, clearly under a misapprehension, for ho imagined that it was tho intention to abolish the tariffs under which the great Australian industries had grown up. That, however, was not what was intended by Lord Beaverbrook's policy. It was not proposed that those barriers which protected Australia's secondary industries should bo broken down. Lord Beaverbrook was out for more production, both in tho Dominions and in Great Britain. The speaker contended that Australia and New Zealand, who already took over £-50,000,000 worth of foreign goods every year, would be rewarded handsomely if they diverted some of that £50,000,000' to Great Britain's hard-pressed manufacturers and industries; and that tho elements for an excellent bargain between the Dominions and tho Mother Country all existed within the British Empire, for 'tho Dominions could take millions of pounds worth of manufactured goods from England, and receive in return a sheltered market for their excellent foodstuffs. Proceeding, Sir James remarked that tho critics who said that Empire free trade would mean dearer food, and talked about a "Stomach Tax," had not studied the question, for they had obviously failed to understand the tremendous capacity of the Dominions for food production. Indeed, for many Dominions, the question of securing markets for their ever-increasing products was becoming an anxious problem. For instance, New Zealand had increased her production of butter and cheese by 250 per cent, in a few years, and with intensive cultivation would continue to increase. The Dominions, if assured of a favourable British market, could easily supply the foodstuffs now purchased from foreign nations. Already the Dominions and colonies were supplying many articles of ordinary diet. New Zealand and Australia alone supplied two-thirds of all imported mutton and lamb, and could easily:'increase those supplies; the Dominions already supplied England with S3 per cent, of all imported cheese; and Canada and Australia could supply much more wheat than Britain could consume. Already all the rice and oatmeal, etc., came from within the Empire. One half of the imports of butter and cheese came from the Dominions, and supplies wore rapidly increasing every year, for only 9 per cent, of the Empire land was as yet under arable cultivation. Moreover, it must not bo forgotten that the English farmer, if suitably safeguarded, could greatly increase the homo supplies. The cry of food taxes was a favourite bogey "to scare the electorate. Tho increase in price, however, if any, would be inconsiderable as compared with increased orders for British manufacturers, which would come from the Dominions. A MUTUAL BARGAIN. Sir James concluded by stating that a bargain, mutually profitable, should bo made by the Homo countries and the overseas lands, but Great Britain must first give some Government power to negotiate. Great Britain, because of her free trade policy, was tho only country of note in the world which had no power to negotiate or make a bargain. Every Dominion had such power, and already excellent trading results were flowing as tho result of interDominion treaties. ".The British Empire is a great heritage," exclaimed Sir James. "It stands for lofty ideals; it covers a quarter of the world; it is a great responsibility and one which, is too great to allow to go to ruin through the lack of a united fiscal economic policy. I assure you that we have not yet scratched even tho surface of the possibilities and resources of this great Empire of ours. Are we going to have the courage to remain true to this oreat trust? Or are we going to allow this great Empire of ours to slip from our grasp and allow the foreigners to commercialise tho Dominions';"