NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1928. REMOVAL OF BARRIERS

Northern Advocate, 26 November 1928, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1928. REMOVAL OF BARRIERS

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

M. Briand recently coined the picturesque phrase ‘/the Old World is beginning to speak European.” From an economic .standpoint, the veteran French statesman’s words are eloquent. There is convincing evidence to support the view that, in interna tibflal'relations; economics is rapidly supplanting politics as the SubjecL of - -f(rrenmTLconeern, and today the 'diplomacy of Europe is being directed. by economic needs, with the result thqt the balance of trade receives more attention than the balance of power. It is for this reason that current industrial developments in Europe -assume a profound importance. During the last few years no fewer than forty industries have ignored geographical boundaries and formed international combinations, all of which have a powerful influence in welding the Continental people into a distinct economic unity by common interests. It w r ould appear that these combinations of European industrialists, formed under the stress of economic necessity, are likely to achieve a unity of interests that could never have been reached by the old avenues of formal diplomacy. The Europeah cartel, of which there are more than two hun■u dred in active operation, is removing national barriers, and is assisting to rebuild basic industries strong er than they have ever been before. Dependant upon her European neighbours for fully 75 per cent of her trade, Germany has been most active in promoting these organisations of industrial co-operation, ■ and steel, potash, chemicals, aluminium and numbers of other products, once the cause of bitter economic rivalry, have now been the means of bringing national and trade enemies into friendly industrial understanding. Many of the European nations, moreover, have within the last two or three years negotiated favourable trade treaties, and it. is generally recognised that the trade treaty between France and Germany, the economic Locarno, has done more to establish better relations between them than any other single influence. The force of economic needs has undoubtedly done more to promote the friendliness of these two countries than any number of political treaties or understandings, and the ties of economic combination are binding this industrial entente so effectively that political differences will find it more and more difficult to sever. In a. lesser degree, and consequently with loss appreciable results do these industrial agreements apply ;to other European nations, and no more convincing evidence is forthcoming of the weakening of frontier barriers than the convention for the abolition of tariff restrictions held at Genova a month or two back, and the agreements signed by twenty seven States .towards that end. That those industrial developments are a powerful influence towards peace is beyond question. Already they have reduced the destructive nationalistic rivalry in trade following the Armistice, and have modified some of the! artificial trade barriers along both the i old national barriers and the thous-| amis of miles of new frontier that the Treaty of Versailles brought into