Timely Topics

Northern Advocate, 21 December 1939, Page 4

Timely Topics

A correspondent writes to “The Times”: It has not hitherto been clear-

ly explained why we rushed headlong into a complicated

GROWTH OF CONTROL.

system of industrial and commodity control on the outbreak

of war. It would almost appear as though our bureaucrats, ever keen on extending the field .of their activity, eagerly grasped the occasion of the war to hasten their attack.

But Britain has built up the finest trading organisation in the world, without official control, and those who are actively engaged in this work see no reason to regret the results of past efforts nor do they deem it expedient to introduce methods which have led totalitarian countries into devious and dangerous economic paths, with results which have been slowly proving their futlity. While some kind of supervision may be expedient in some cases, it is admitted that many of the control organisations recently established are unwieldy and extravagantly staffed. It # cannot be denied that while control may restrict production it cannot by any possible means expand it. If, then, its function is to be confined to equitable distribution,- with the successful prosecution of the war as its main objective, such work can surely best be done by trained men who have made it their life’s work, and who can be relied upon to give their best service in such an emergency as the [present. If this be granted the next \ practical step must be the appoint- [ ment of a small Parliamentary comi mittee to investigate and eliminate re- \ dundant control.

Speaking in the House of Commons

fon the unity of the British Empire tin its war effort, the Prime Minister

UNITY OF THE ' EMPIRE.

(Mr Neville Chamberlain) said: We have had in the last few days a striking

demonstration of the united determination of the Empire. (Cheers.) From Canada, from the Commonwealth of Australia, from New Zealand, from the Union of South Africa

and from India have come Cabinet Ministers and representatives who h„ve travelled thousands of miles in order to make personal contact with Ministers in this country and to see with their own eyes the gigantic efforts in which, we are engaged. (Cheers.)

Discussions with these representatives have already begun, and we are considering with them how best to co-ordinate the contribution which each of us can make to our common task. As honourable members are aware, the Empire has already shown how generous and wholehearted is its spirit of co-operation. (Cheers.) The fuller knowledge which we shall now gain of the plans of Jhe different Governments as a result of the presence of their Ministerial representatives here will be of great value to us. (Cheers.) And in their turn we are confident that the Dominion Governments and the Government of India will find that the first-hand impressions of their representatives will afford them invaluable aid in gaining a fuller apprecation of our common problems, and of the best and quickest means of solving them. (Cheers.)