EMPIRE INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 52, 30 August 1932, Page 15

EMPIRE INDUSTRIES

CASE FOE CO-OPEKATION

"THE TIME IS RIPE"

(From "Tha Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 10th June. Tho Imperial Economic Committee, consisting of representatives of all parts of tho Empire, have published a report on Imperial Industrial Cooperatiou. In summarising their conclusions, the Committee state among other things": "The timers ripe for a sustained effort to promote Imperial co-operation in industry. "Co-operation connotes organised and continuing association between industries in the several parts of tho British Commonwealth for the purpose of meeting changing conditions to the mutual benefit of those co-operating. ."In promoting industrial co-opera-tion, the countries in the British Commonwealth will serve not only a common purpose but also their national needs. "Industrial co-operation between those engaged in tho sarao or similar industries in different -■ Empire countries should be based on agreements reached by them in consultation. "For the conclusion of such agreements it is necessary for tho representatives to meet in a spirit of cooperation and not of rivalry, and for the industries in different countries to be so organised that agreements can be both negotiated and implemented. "The agreements should have the effect of facilitating the Changes everywhere apparent, that isj the growth of industry in less industrialised countries and the greater specialisation of industry in the more.highly industrialised countries; and sbould.be subject to periodic revision. OEDBKLY DEVELOPMENT. "The initiative for arranging • the meetings between representatives of particular industries will normally rest with the industries concerned; on occasion Governments could with advantage suggest such action. "Preliminary exploratory visits will sometimes be advisable '' Industrial activities may by agreement be.so directed as to leave to the less. industrialised Empire country the market in certain classos of goods and to tho rnoro industrialised Empire country or countries the market in more specialised goods. "In such cases tariffs, where they form a portion of tho fiscal policy of a country, could legitimately be used to safeguard the agreement, provided the Government concerned^ was satisfied that the agreement was in the economic interests of its own country and was calculated to promote Imperial industrial co-operation. "Agreements on these lines would be economically beneficial by increasing the stability of the employment of both labour and capital, and by providing for orderly industrial development and specialisation. "High Customs duties for revenue purposes might operate in a protective manner and render tho agreements ineffective. CONIIKTTITY OF "POLICY. "Multilateral agreements aro desirable, but bilateral discussion will usually be more immediately profitable; where discussions are bilateral, associations of similar industries in other Empire countries should be "given an opportunity to put forward their views on tho proposals under discussion and to have them considered before final agreement is reached. "Continuity in pursuit of this policy wouM be essential to enable industries to plaji ahead and to ensure stable conditions for both labour and capital, . '^In addition to co-operation within the same industry in different Empire countries, the-opportunity exists for closer relations between the organisations of consuming industries in some Empire countries (such as primary producers) and of manufacturing industries in other parts supplying these needs, whereby more trade could be secured for the Empire and whereby secondary industries in the less industrialised countries might develop, beginning perhaps as assembling industries, in close association with, and aided by, those in the more industrialised countries."