Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1920. THE "OPEN DOOR" PRINCIPLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 226, 30 December 1920, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1920. THE "OPEN DOOR" PRINCIPLE.

Sib Thomas Mackenzie’s references the j other day to the “ open door” principle as it affects the British Empire and its internal and external trade, came as a timely reminder and warning of the possible effect of indiscriminate free trade with ‘recent enemy countries such as Germany, Which prior to the war so far profited by their “ peaceful penetration ” of GreatBritain and the Dominions as to largely undermine British trade arid employment within tho Empire, at the same time obtaining much of that wealth with which they carried on the war against the Allies. According to Herr Zimmerman, who was quoted by Sir Thomas at Christchurch last week,, it was the “ open door ” in Great Britain and the Dominions that made Germariy the Great Power she was before the war. With the unrestricted intercourse permitted by, that open door withdrawn Zirnraennau said *‘ we shall be at one stroke once mofe 1 the Germany of 1880.” It is strange when one comes to reflect over the history of the past how Britain helped during the Victorian era and after to build up Germany, hotli politically and commercially, to her own detriment. Beginning with her tacit consent to the despoliation by Austria and Germany of Denmark in the ’sixties, and the surrender of Heligoland by Great Britain to Germany, the whole trend bf British policy seemed to be in the direction of placating Geripany and helping her to become the great military Power which | she unquestionably was in 1914. British ports and markets -werp freely opened to German shipping and to German merchants, to the detriment of British trade, and the Germans were cutting freely into our home I markets, before they began the insensate war which so effectually opened the eyes of the world to German designs, and to the Kaiser’s unhition to make all nations tributary ',tA Germany—-an ambition that was shared' -to the full by. r tho German .jcurile,- who were never tired of vaunt--liiK their RupmoritV: over the, .other rdces'of mankind and particularly oyer ;im English a with thoir feai ful brutalising influences and complete ammalisalion of the hutnan species,, m every land where the bastard tonguo of the Sing island- pirates is spoken .(vide Berlin as iiiobcd by Dr. J. William; White, in ?. A&ca wd Germany/’ 1914 ediio„).\ Making every allowance for the venomous hatred of Britain inspired by her unexpected entry mto' the, war. Os Vhe ally of France, Russia,, and BglUl the fact remains thafe the Gerhod been trained, for years to l S unon and regard themselves as the S of the human race, whose A ■ ;

■- • - minions .ami the overseas PJf rw. < the British Empire i saSifc. arafc 7UK i S^iiiiwpaasjr:; &554 CAST'S- &, »t*r««• Vr.; concerned, by that ov "* ru ”9 .aj, 1 KJ m b t^p.” r^Vg; S ibo » Stcherowly WM*«J£ ■ oftljo hoapHahty extended to his fSera aua in it® when Ite Sei our port, open to him end j gave him benefit of our mifM s and trade? When Mr J•• M.• Hwg* (Vjuf interviewed by Le Matin m l an», , m June, J916» fl "i was ,,^X°ithtiTn flourishing m ever/' he wJ* l<d s^ ,S a nnntly: "Those « twt \^Jj b ol J i r],audit are traitors. Whatever pur Seas transactions with tattg. they will be those. wo desire- not those rjr'Ssine Mttajl and it behoves us «<> break ’ tyranny for ever.’ There is so oiujt truth In that statement, and it so aptly represents the we believe is still the feeling or im. greater number of try, that it might well ho adopted as the basis of the New Zealand mhcy towards German trade rcdation^ipstfermanv sought by the war to impose SSwSLI U military .wremaev over the nauona against whom 3fU oontendiiig. Hor .mk't.on. m (be latter direction have been effecludlv dispelled bv the victory of the AlK*is Shall we then quietly acquiesce ffi whid. waiter ,«ho°|d ■.uir choosing, aa Mr Hughes suggested in 1916, ami pot tips teado 'would impose-upon us. hpr tbat reathere can, or should, be no open so far as German trade is confeed. The Pam recognised that Germany, after the war, would bo just as dangerousim she was allowed to pursue her prowar policy of dumping her surplus goods down upon the markets of the Allied ‘nations. In thereviskm whieh is to form part of the business Tf the N«v Zealand Parliament next aession, it will be necessary to diteriSato against German productions that comimte witlrour own , and ™f ‘ the products of other rountnea with n the Empire. And, if we are true to -he manciples which the Pam Conferrace laid |own>» <* war! leaving neutrals countries to come in last. Clear it w* can: have no room for an PI^P, door rwnliev so far as bur late enemies are£nSrS. ’ Tl,o S«t. hj. of ».hug gaJf-preservation, teaches us toe folly of'playing into would compass, if. they economic rum and that of our k nsm<| the &6SS. Tho war win*.iwe lost for as its chief lesson if we fad to recognise the stupidity of htoittmg upon terms of equalijJ [ f $ traders the nation that g g 0 j ; o destroy ourselves and the h-mpire which we farm a part. -