BRITISH POLICY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19023, 25 May 1936, Page 10

BRITISH POLICY

WORK IN PARLIAMENT CRITICAL TRADE ISSUES “THE BRINK OF WAR” LONDON, April 2.',. Having heard the Chancellor’s Budget speech in grim silence, members of the House of Commons are settling down, after their Easter recess, to a session winch promises to be one of the jinost critical since the war ns regards, ‘tome, foreign, and defence policy. ..Ctn addition to the contentious 'tallies: of the mean* test and nnemploy’■ment relief —questions on which the Conservative Party is seriously “split”—there will arise matters vitally concerned with the colonies and mandated territories, defence coordination, treaty negotiations with Egypt, trade treaty negotiations, and sanctions. inl , • Never, since the summer ot ISU4, iias found ‘herself nearer the brink of war than now, and never, since then, has there been a more urgent need for circumspection on the part of the Government. Apart from the Abyssinian question, it is plainly recognised at Westminster that Germany’s “price” for keeping the peace

is to be the return of her African colonies. In this connection, Mr. Chamberlain’s recent statement indicating: that the Government is prepared, on certain terms, to consider a demand for transfer of mandated territories from British rule, has aroused grave- anxiety among Conservative back-benchers, and there is a widespread demand for a debate on the subject. The intention is to demand from the Government a categorical assertion that in no.circumstances will it transfer to a foreign Power territories now under British-rule. Failure to make such a statement, it is felt, is tantamount. to encouraging Germany to make a demand. As to Anglo-Egyptinn relations, it is felt, in some quarters that tin? present treaty negotiations may end in a compromise by which Egypt would be evacuated by British forces. it car. be safely assumed, however, that there is no ground for this anxiety, and that the House of Commons will be consulted before any agreement, involving British interests is ratified. SAFETY OF TRADE ROUTES The determination of a strong body of Government supporters to force the Government to give a larger measure of assistance in British agriculture may have an important bearing on future trade agreements, particularly with Denmark and the Argentine. The British farmer has had a “thin” time for many years, and more and more land is going out. of cultivation as the result of cheap importations of primary produce.

The Minister of Agriculture, -Mr. Walter Elliot, is ‘being urged to make a strong stand against the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Walter Buncinmn, in the consultations which are taking place for the determination of British policy. New encouragement for British agriculture, it is claimed, is now urgently necessary as a measure of defence. The utmost surprise and concern have been caused to members of the powerful Conservative Parliamentary Agricultural Committee by the Government's failure to sufficiently organise the nation’s food supplies “on a war footing,’’ as part of the now defence scheme. In this matter, Sir Thomas Inski]), the Defence Minister, has admitted that he has no power. The initiative rests entirely with the* Minister, of Agriculture aim the Bottl'd of Trade. A* a lime when 'lie nayy is no' in a position to guarantee the safety of 'lie Empire ratio routes, it is a disturbing thought that Britain could be “starved out ” in about six weeks, despite the chastening experience of the last vnr. Tt is the anxiety on this point felt lv v the thinking section or the public and by a considerable faction in Parliament that will probably lead to a belated though energetic change of policy favouring the homo producer. This change of policy will not detrimentally affect importa- \ (ions of foodstuffs from the Dominions, j but it is certain to lead to a modifica-! tion of the present over-liberal attitude towards foreign countries, which enjoy all the advantages under the existing agreements. j