WORLD CONFERENCE EMBERS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 353, 9 September 1933, Page 3

WORLD CONFERENCE EMBERS

Some Good May Come of Failure

MARGOT ASQUITH'S SAfIRE

"Thud and Blunder"

PRIMEAVAL LAW PREVAILS

(From an English Correspondent.)

Sitting at the bedside of a dying International Conference is a dreary and disillusioning occupation. Still, even in its death throes, when it had reached that stage of "only walking round to save funeral expenses," the recent world conference was worth study.

There was dolour and dolefulncss illimitable in tho Geological Musoiin* Building, where the nations' Hail met "to solve the depression." The President (Mr. Ramsay Mae Donald) had discovered that tho conference was not of his stock. It Was the creation of Geneva. And his thick eyebrows moved mournfully as if to exclaim "What would you?" The police at the door were bored to distraction. The messenger was praying for release; whilo tho liftman petitioned Providence for just one passenger to keep him awake, and the throe barmen, lolling amongst the most exejuis ite liquors of this earth, wene prey of a bitter despondency. Satirical publicists are beginning to sharpen their wits upon the graceless failure of .tho statesmen. The conference will go into the Shades pursued by Homeric laughter, but, it will not have deserved the, insult. For it did its darnedest. The circumstances; of civilisation precluded success. In retrospect it io obvious that the conference wasi not timely, and yet its very negation may become an aflirmiation. Survival of Fittest i Nations believed that tliey had much in common. They have proved they were right, but they do not Wish to share otie another's burdens. And they are hell bent upon developing upon their own lines, even if some of their neighbours perish on the way. Survival of the fittest is the doctrine to Which each is pledged. Let us take the simplest subjects: Persia is an agriculiur.il country. She was pressed to curtail her sugar produetion. It is he:* standby. Sho replied:

"Russia/ Was traditionally the largest purchaser of■our goods, and before the war Persian exports to Russia amounted to nearly 70 per cent, of the value of our total export trade. The position has recently changed and consignments to the Soviet Republic now represent about one third of the value of our exports, which have themselves appreciably diminished. The remoteness of our country from the big centres of .commerce, coupled with transport difficulties due to the size of the territory, are not calculated to encourage the export of our goods to other markets. We have endeavoured to make the shortage good with sugar," Cocoa is the. most vital export of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Brazil, Ivory Coast, The British Delegation presented a, memorandum which did not cheer:

"The present price? of raw cocoa in sterling is less than one half of the pre-war price, quite apart, from any further loss to cfertain producers which may arise from the decrease in the purchasing power of the pound. It, is, a disquieting feature of the situation .that, within recent years, the annual excess of supply over demand, generally speaking, has been continuous and progressive, and that stocks are at present accumulating at a. very rapid rate. The world stocks at September 30. 19"33, are estimated to reach the figure of''l6o,ooo tons in excess of those at the same date in 1926." . Problem of the China Egg

The oldest of the nations, .showed her scars to the World. China has. made eggs her., principal export for generations. Threo hundred million industrious peoplo turn out three thousand millions of eggs, or more. Other countries' are pressing her to honour her interest bills. She can only discharge her obligations in full if shes can market her eggs. Her delegation, with deprecating gestures, dis tributed a review which, inter alia, recited: "In 1913 Chinese fresh eggs were allowed to enter into the United States free of duty. Rates of 2 cents and 6 cents per pound were imposed pn frozen eggs, and dried eggs respectively. These rates were subsequently increased to 11 cents on frozen eggs and 27 cents oh. dried eggs, while a new duty of 10 cents was imposed on every dozen of fresh eggs. As tile duties collected exceed the cost of production and transportation, it is impossible to carry on tlio trade. Since the coming into effect of these duties no Chinese fresh eggs' have been imported into the United States, while the volume of imported frozen eggs and dried egg products has diminished by 90 per cent, and 70 per

cent, respectively." , lit equal measure, analysis revealed that other nations are hobbled. They cannot buy unless they can sell. None is heroically prepared to retrace its steps. Nothing c:ui bo accomplished except by prodigious bargaining, and barter is limited by the impoverishment of all peoples. Troubles Crystallised

"Thud and Blunder" is Lady Oxford's summing up. She said to me that on the whole she feared more harm than good had been dome, for, in the Words of a foreign delegates, "personal contact had only stabilised differences which hitherto had been fluid. Now they were fixed." A detached thinker will probably assert that she has overtalkod her brief. At lleiast. the world knows how much or how little it is really worried] about the general health of its neigh-1 hours. It has narrowed down in somewhat shocking fashion to an almost, microscopic number the problems which may bo ameliorated by joint action.

Everyone is that much to the good! and in the process of winnowing, reason has been found for a further gathering of the nations. Statesmen) will have to handle the things which seem to be possible immediately, and while they are doing 'his they will reach the fringe of major questions. ' There will be salvage, despite the vast disappointment that attends upon failure where so much was expected.

All in All Reports Those last few hectic days have provided wonderful educational fare for the student of international politics. It baffled many shrewd brains to perceive how delegate.-, were to make silk pursieLs out of sows' ears, yet they have d/mo it. With lightning rapidity they have drafted report: after report calculated to justify early reassembling, and to form the groundwork for negotiation between chancellories during the recess.

Each of these documents is a work of art, and will repulse the archivist of the future who tries to interpret them in any arbitrary way. They will be all things to all men.