IMPERIAL PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 5

IMPERIAL PROBLEMS

DEFENCE AND TRADE PREFERENCE,

Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, July 18,

In the House of Lords Lord asked whether, in view of the development of submarine and aerial warfare, tho Government would refer the question of tho bearing of national defence on food l production in Britain to tho Committee on Imperial Defence. Lord .Salisbury (Deputy Leader of tho House of Lords) said that one of the subjects to be discussed by the Imperial Conference was the Navy, noon which in the long run we must rely for our food supply. This country could never be selfsupporting in the matter of food, and whatever our fiscal system might bo we must in war time bo dependent on tho fleet.

Viscount Long, appealed for a broadminded consideration of the problem of the Empire’s food supply at tho coining Imperial Conference. We had an Empire, ho said, that was capable of producing everything that was necessary, yet we wore no nearer"finding’ a means of realising this great ambition. Tho dominions were mono than ready to moot England halfway. There were mature statesmen in tho dominions of very great ability who were daily considering tho question, and when they came to England he hoped, they would not be content merely to discuss (he question, but that they would raise it themselves.—A. and N.Z. Cable.