A TRADE UNITY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 11, 12 July 1930, Page 10

A TRADE UNITY

SENSATIONAL EE.PORT

"WITHIN THE EMPIRE"

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, 28th May. The political correspondent of the "Daily Express," dealing with the report of the Economic Committee of the Trade Union Congress General Council, says:— "A political sensation of the first magnitude will be caused by the news that tho committee have brought in a unanimous report that at the forthcoming Imperial Conference it would be in tho interests of the trade union movement for the Socialist Party to press for us full a development as possible of the economic relations between ourselves and the Dominions, urging the creation of machinery, and, if necessary, agreements with the Dominions for tho further -development of inter-Com-monwealth trade and for tho best possible distribution of economic activities I within the British Commonwealth. j ARGUMENTS SUMMED UP. This recommendation is based on ar- | guments and conclusions as outlined in the report, and which may bo summed up as follows: — (1) That tho present policy of isolation seems no longer practicable. , \ (2) That Great Britain could not bc- | long to a European group (such as advocated by M. Briand) or an AngloAmerican group while maintaining her ! place in the British Empire group.' (3) That there are ties of sentiment that count in the British group and that supplies of raw materials and of manufactured goods could be balanced.

(4) That it is quite practicable to press for the development of the British Empire as a self-contained unit of free nations, while working for an extension of ( the influence of the League of Nations and striving for an AngloAmerican economic agreement.

(5) That wo should bargain as a Commonwealth group and that in many cases this would be a decided advantage. (6) That tho factors of geographical separation between different parts of the Empire are now much less serious owing to the great development in communications and transport. (7) That the sheer logic of events niay be driving 'the nations to a comprehensive international agreement, but if the events of tho recent years are any indication, this will take a very long time to accomplish. (8) That it would indeed seem that tho formation of more limited groups such as tho British Commonwealth of Nations is a necessary step towards ultimate world economic unity. (9) That tho usually accepted definition of an economic group is a combination of nations maintaining as far as possible a balance between supplies of raw materials and manufactured goods, observing Free Trade within the group but Protection against" outsiders if necessary. IREECONCILABLE POINT OF VIEW. The report will come before the General, Council o£ the Trade Union Congress,, but it is not expected that any decision will be taken on it at once. Tho usual custom is to circulate snch a memorandum to other members of the General Council. It may be taken for granted, however, that since the memorandum is the unanimous expression of the views of an almost all-powerful committee, it is certain to bq endorsed by the General Council at a subsequent meeting. When that is accomplished the report will go forward to tho Parliamentary Socialist Party—and so to tho Government—as representing the considered opinions of the trade union leaders for guidance in the Imperial Conference. Mr. MMC.Donald is thus faced with a political crisis. " The whole tenor of the report attacks ;iud demolishes every theory of Mr. Snowdcn. Tho Premier will be confronted with two irreconcilable points of view, Iwo powerful sections of conflicting opinion with no possible basis of compromise.

The Trade Union Congress have thrown a first-class political bombshell into British politics.