Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1931. THE TARIFF WEAPON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 197, 22 July 1931, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1931. THE TARIFF WEAPON.

In his speceh at Hull at the weekend, Mr Stanley Baldwin restated the Conservative Party’s tariff policy. This meeting- is one in an important series to win support in the country for the Conservatives. The campaign was opened by Mr Baldwin at .Liverpool a while ago, when he laid it down that Britain could only achieve industrial and economic conditions of equality by setting up tariffs such as other countries had done. A tariff, he pointed out, was not a principle ; it Avas an economic expedient. There was no gospel about a tariff any more than there was a gospel about free trade. A statesman, he continued, had to advocate whatever was best adapted to the time in which he lived.' In pointing out that Britain’s industrial system had been founded and built up on protection, and subsequently had prospered for two generations on free trade, Mr Baldwin stressed the fact that the conditions which had existed as an aid to prosperity under free trade had now passed away- As in his Hull speech, so at Liverpool Mr Baldwin said that the first action of the Conservatives if returned to power would be to bring into force an emergency tariff on manufactured goods. “The psychological effect on the trade of the country will be enormous,” he told his audience. “It will give a new outlook, a new hope in every factory in the country. It will start the wheels again and it will make the people feel that, if we beg,, borrow, or steal money to bring our place up to date, we must do it because now is a chance of regular work.” Apart from the revenue that accrues to the Exchequer from scientific tariffs, their imposition gives a country a strong hand in striking a bargain with another country. This power cannot be over-estimated. In stressing this point, Mr Baldwin said “our market is so important that there is not a country in the world who will not be anxious to do business with us, and make concessions which may be to our advantage.” By this means alone could they meet the Russian programme of dumping- goods under the intensive production of the Eive-Year Plan. The Conservative Leader seriously believes in the menace to Britain of this plan,, and of the Soviet determination to “smash up the capitalist system.” Recognising- this, he expressed his determination to prevent the Russians bringing- their plaji to fruition at the expense of the British manufacturer. Elaborating the Conservative plan, Mr Baldwin announced at Hull the proposal‘to set up a non-political permanent tariff commission. This body will recommend to Parliament what tariffs it considers necessary in the interests of British manufacturers, and on assent being given these will be imposed. So that such a vital question

should not become the sport of politicians, Mr Baldwin put forth the contention that the status of the tariff board should be lifted, similar to that of the -Judges, above the stress of party politics. Evidence has been accumulating in England in past months that the Conservative programme will find a very large measure of support when the general election is held, men who have been wedded to free trade for years past having recognised that the conditions which favoured this policy have vanished in recent years.