BRITISH GOVERNMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1933, Page 7

BRITISH GOVERNMENT

METHODS WHOLLY WRONG

LLOYD GEORGE IN FORM

United Press Association—By Electric Teleeraph—Copyright '■..; LONDON, February 15. An unemployment; debate in \ tUe House of Commons was notable for the] intervention of Mr Lloyd George, who j initiated a_ back bench motion demanding the , encouragement of municipalities to undertake essential revenueproducing works. The Minister of Health (6ir E. Hilton Young) accepting the motion, said that the Government was eager to as sis; municipalities to obtain loans for" remunerative works, but a system of subsidies for relief works had already proved futile in reducing unemployment. ' The Labour Government had spent £200,000,000 on thiß form of remedy, but unemployment had increased by a million and, a half. ' Mr. Lloya' George's attack covered almost the whole field of the: Government's policy. He said the Government threw away £50,000,0,00 in trying to keep the sovereign at an artificial value. In seeking to reduce the adverse trade balance they found that a reduction of imports meant a reduction of -sports. The search for .i debt settlement had only produced a. tentative agreement at Lausanne, made without the consent of the creditor nation, the TJniter. States. The importance of international debts was being exaggerated. TARIFFS THE TROUBLE. t It was tariff barriers that were squeezing the life out of international trade. .What was the' Government going. to propose to the- International Conference?' It could not demand a reduction in the tariffs of foreign countries unless it was willing to'reduce its own. Everybody was going to the Conferenceseeking concessions.' ' , _ Mr. Hoyd George said that there might be a catastrophe in Americay Germany, or elsewhere before the Conference ended, ana that would-produce-panic. Had the Government any clear idea of what it' was going to propose at the-Wqrld Conference or'what it was going to- do for the unemployed if it produced no agreement? '■ .