Beaverbrook's Dream

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1947, Page 7

Beaverbrook's Dream

(Rec. 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 5. Lord Beaverbrook, in a letter to The Times, says an Empire customs union is “now a certainty.”

He adds that a customs union does not necessitate abolition of tariffs imposed for revenue purposes and the Dominions would continue to protect their own economic industries. The reaction in Geneva to the proposal by the British Foreign Secretary (Mr Bevin) for a Commonwealth customs union is mild astonishment coupled with some amusement, says the New York Times correspondent in Geneva.

GENEVA BARGAINING It is assumed that Mr Bevin has not followed closely details of the British Commonwealth negotiations on tariffs . at the international trade conference during the past few months. Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, not to mention Canada, have very substantial industries based on protection against British competition. It would be nice for Britain to get these barriers down but so far she has not made much progress. If Mr Bevin were to pursue such a project he would have United States support. The United States would want an assurance, however, that it was not just a new name for Empire preference and discriminatory tariffs before proceeding to a real abandonment of trade barriers.