OTTAWA CONFERENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21263, 17 August 1932, Page 13

OTTAWA CONFERENCE

Sir, —The excellent cartoon in Monday's Herald, "The Dissentient Voice," causes one to wonder what some persons anticipated could result from the Ottawa Conference other than a further recognition of the fact that academic free trade would get a further setback. In a 6ubloader in the Herald of August 13 you mado reference to tho cabled statement of tho Manchester Guardian to the effect that "Tho high hopes of the early part of tho conference had been dissipated, etc," and you pointed out that the Manchester Guardian represents tho "old guard" of free traders. Since the conference was called for tho specific purpose of endeavouring to find a moro comprehensive scheme of preferences as between Britain and tho various Dominions, with a view to creating increased trade within tho Empire, it is difficult to understand the attitude of the Manchester Guardian speaking in tho terms it did. One could understand the statement of Mr. Asquith (an unyielding free trader) when he said: "Imperial preference is the greatest imposturo of modern times," but that suicidal attitude is not now an issue, but history. Tlio attitude of a certain section of the Labour Party to an extension of Imperial preferences is singular. They claim that any interference with free trade raises prices to tho consumer. Even if this be admitted, for tho sake of argument, it is impossible to evade tho fact that forcing up wages by the power of trades unionism must have tho same effect. Further, there was no intelligenco .in trades unions trying to maintain a high standard of wages and, at the same time, supporting a policy of allowing goods produced in other countries by much lowerpriced labour to coinc into Britain free, and so displace British labour. This also is history, and not of serious import now, as thero is not the Slightest hope of any Labour Party ever being returned to power in support of the views expressed by tho late Lord Oxford (Mr. Asquith) on Imperial preference. Whatever else may result, from the Ottawa Conference it is certain that the disgruntled freetrade section of the Labour Party have, no hope of "strangling" the policy of preference. John Sykes. Hamilton.