THOMAS EXPLAINS LABOUR’S POLICY TOWARDS EMPIRE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6889, 20 April 1929, Page 9

THOMAS EXPLAINS LABOUR’S POLICY TOWARDS EMPIRE

Record in Office SNOWDEN DESCRIBED AS PARTY .ROGUE ELEPHANT MR. AMERY IN REPLY. Waited Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Friday, 7 pan. LONDON, April 18. In the House of Commons, on the Dominions Office vote, Mr. J. H. Thomas (Lab.) said that it had been declared that if Labour was returned the disintegration of the Empire w r as inevitable. * A Conservative member: What about last night?” Mr. Thomas: “There will be no running away from that.” The time was long past, he said, when the Union Jack could be considered the prerogative of a particular party. The suggestion of disintegration could best be answered by the record of Labour m office also as to what were its intentions when returned to power in June. He quoted the settlement of the Irish Free State difficulty; how Imperial unity should be dealt with, and also the Indian problem in South AfricaLabour had been misrepresented on migration. He did not suggest migration as a solution of unemployment, but it w&s undeniablo that it could he made an effective contribution to the solution. . “We must face,” he said, “’the real difficulties of solution. Australia and New Zealand must be asked to apply themselves to tho problem as it affects them,” Labour’s main object, he added, if returned, would be not the disintegration of the Empire, but tho consolidation and progress of a heritage of which all were proud. He moved to reduce the vote by £IOO.

Continuity of Policy. Mr Amcry agreed that the overwhelming majority of members of all parties regarded the Empire as a groat problem and responsibility and an opportunity for free co-operation and ■wise trusteeship. Labour had not always helped in the direction of continuity of Empire policy. The Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 made an agreement with the Dominions which, it was believed, did not materially depart from Britain’s fiscal policy but Mr. Snowden differed from it in 1921, causing a discontinuity which was resented in many parts of the Empire. Similarly, the Imperial conference, after the fullest consideration, had decided that the .Singapore base _ was necessary for Imperial naval continuation but the Labour Government did not carry if out. Mr. MacDonald’s suggestion that Imperial conferences should include representatives of the oppositions as well as of the governments was impossible, owing to all the Dominion Governments'^ disapproval.

Mr. Amery agreed that whenever possible, non-party (elements should bo brought in. The very fact that unity of Empire under the Crown was free and unfettered made it more imperative itkat there should be inter-communiea-tion and frequent personal consultaItion. The Government had developed a system of daily communications), keeping the Dominions in touch with every aspect of foreign affairs. More important still ,it kept in close personal touch with the High Commissioners on big issues. While the experiment of Dominions representatives at foreign capitals was regarded by many as a doubtful experiment, it was proving of great value. Regarding migration, he said, that since the passing of the Empire Settlement Act, 390,000 migrants had gone to the Dominions and the majority had made good. During the past four years, 215,000 had been assisted to go to the Dominions and 170,000 had gone unassisted. One of the first things the new Government would have to do would be to see if the Empire Settlement Act needed amendment and if the machinery of tho Oversea Settlement committoe could be improved Britain’s purchases of Empire products had increased by 11 per cent, since tho war.

Sheer Humbug? Mr. Snowden seemed to be Labour’s “rogue elephant’’ on the subject of Empire as well as other subjects. In the course of a recent article in the press, entitled “Empire Bleeding Britain,” Mr. Snowdon had poured contempt on Empire trade and had described tho Empire Marketing Board as an unnecessary waste and Imperial preference as sheer humbug. Mr Snowden had said the British manufacturer was being excluded from the Dominions to advertise Dominion products. Mr. Snowden had gone on to complain that Australia bought 56J millions worth of goods from foreign countries and only sixty-nine millions worth from Britain. Mr. Amery emphasised that no foreign country took anything like such a large proportion of British goods. Mr. Thomas said he had not seen the article but Mr. Snowden, who was absent, should not be judged on a few disjointed extracts. “I have no doubt Mr. Snowden had no intention of repudiating the Empire but was putting his own construction on a very difficult problem.” Sir A, H. Sinclair said the migration of the flower of our manhood was disastrous. Britain should conserve her racial capital by encouraging land settlement here. The Dominions vote was carried without division.