TRADE BARRIERS

Evening Star, Issue 25769, 16 April 1946, Page 5

TRADE BARRIERS

WORLD MOVE FOR REMOVAL AMERICA CALLS PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 15. Mr Herbert Morrison (Lord President of the Council) announced- in the House of Commons that the British Government had accepted an invitation from the United States Government to nominate representatives to attend a preliminary meeting before the international conference on trade and employment. Similar invitations had been accepted by the four dominions, India, Belgium, Luxemburg, Brazil, China, Cuba, Czecho-Slovakia, France, and the Netherlands. Russia was still considering the invitation. The British Government was communicating with the Commonwealth Governments for a meeting to discuss details of the American proposals for reducing trade barriers before the pre-

liminary meeting. Such a meeting would be arranged to suit the convenience of the Commonwealth Government.

Mr Morrison said it was hoped that the countries attending the preliminary meeting would substantially agree among themselves regarding the adoption of effective domestic and international measures for the preservation of high levels of consumption and employment, and for the positive contributions they were prepared to offer towards a reduction of all kinds of trade barriers. It was intended that any agreement reached on the matter should be considered by the full conference. He was arranging to obtain the considered views of the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of British Industries, the National Union of Manufacturers, and the Trade Union Congress, and the relevant Ministers were obtaining views from the farming, fishing, and'food ancillary industries. EMPIRE PREFERENCE. Mr Morrison 6aid it was desirable that the British delegation should before entering into negotiations obtain complete knowledge as possible of the circumstances of every industry likely tn be affected by modifications of the United Kingdom tariff or other tiade proposals. "I am anxious to ensure, first, that we know what concessions the United Kingdom export industries think it important to seek from the Governments of other countries and Hie relative importance to be attached to such concessions; secondly, how much importance is attached! to the particular preferences now accorded to Britain from the other parts of the Commonwealth." Mr Morrson appealed to all concerned to remember that the ultimate object was to secure such a world-wide lowering of trade barriers as would lead to a great increase in international commerce, and so contribute to the expansion of British exports, which was essential for the maintenance of Britain's position as a great nation. Answering Mr Oliver Lyttelton, Mr Morrison said the assurances which Mr Churchill gave concerning Imperial preferences would stand, and the discussion would nowise prejudice British agricultural long-term policy. Mr Morrison told another questioner that trade organisations throughout the Colonial Empire would be consulted. He did not think the negotiations would prejudice Britain's right to continue or develop her policy of bulk buying.