AFTER THE WAR.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14156, 19 April 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

AFTER THE WAR.

SHALL WE TRADE WITH I GERMANY? (From "The Colonist," April 11.) Though the number present wero few an interesting discussion took'place at the Chamber of Commerce annual meeting last night regarding after-war trade with Germany. _ The president (Mr. C. R. Fell) mentioned the matter of after-war trade with Germany, amd asked whether the meeting1 wished to.discuss tho question. Mr F. W. HamiltonI'was of opinion that it was premature to discuss the question at present. The president suggested that as it was likely tho Prime Minister would 'bo going to England it was worth .while for tho various business communities to ■ discuss the miatter, and as a result the hands of the representatives of the Dominions would be strengthened. Personally, he thought it worth while, and he approached the question with the knowledge that some sacrifices must be made, but they should be made to prevent a recurrence of past methods of undermining British trade. Mr Cock said that the whole- mafctec was so great and so serious that he would be very loth to enter \ipon a discussion, but it seemed to him that the statesmen engaged would have to be guided largely by military aoid naval considerations, and he felt that military precautions would be token which would ensure a peace that would endure for a long period. Personally, before the war he had favoured cosmopolitanism and freeI'trade as tending to ensure peace, but the disclosures .pf the present conflict bad modified his views, and he was now strongly 'of opinion that tho cultivation of inter-Imperial trade was tho great need. An cnovmous trade could be developed within the Empire, which would make -tvs largely independent of trade with the enemy Powers. It had to be- recognised' that those Powers comprised about two hundred millions, or about cue-fourth of those with whom we had been able to trade before the war, and it, was a big thing to cons-ider stopping all trade with so great a number. Germany had beer- so treacherous and so much had abused the hospitality and advantages we had enabled her to on joy that the feeling of raaieour would automatically, as it were, destroy her trade with the Empire for many years to come, but he relied more upon the inter-Imperial trade and the military restrictions, followed peihaps by jn^ demnities, to restrict tho power of Germany to do as she had done in the past. ' . , Mr Neale said that he was convinced that the whole matter mrst.bo decided at the centre of the Empire; still he was of opinion that by free discussion the hands of the representatives of the Dominion could be. strengthened to a very groat extent. It would be a oroat thine if the stutosor.en of Britain could be assured that the dependents were prepared to pay through tthu means of a high tariff wall to secure tho exclusion of enemy trade from their Dominions. Mr Hsunpson declared himself very strono-ly in favour of Miter-Impenai trado protection. For many years he had pointed out that the onslaughts on British trade must be combated by an Impe-ial Customs Union, or that • it vould' be brought about by extraneous circumstances which had unfortunately been the case in this war. "He strongly advocated that tho Motherland should be shown plainly that the dependencies were prepared to make sjflcn-fic-es for.tho Imperial idea. Mr F. G. Gibbs, in a speech whisn we have not, unfortunately, space to -leal fully with, traversed the situation and the difficulties-which were presented to him. On sentimental grounds he fully granted the necessity ef showing Germany the Empire's sense, of her wrongdoings by punishment, but oansiderino- the question from a practical and scientific standpoint he referred, and'quoted authorities .in support t<> tho dangers which would arise that in tho endeavour to inflict punishment on tho enemy the reverse would .bo brought about, to the advantage ol the enemy and the disadvantage ©i tho Empire. It was doubtful, he said, that Germany, who had embarked upon this war as the victor in several previous short, and decisive w?»rs-, would support the militarism _ W hidi had. brought benefit in the past but aisaafcei at this time. That wa^.nno factor to be considered. Tbo most important .to his mind, however w. <: .,s that of Imperial organisation. To build up tho. Bnt..sh Fmnire as an Empirr in verity and n0.., to quote Adam Smith, wi Empu-e in proiect, required a sclent,he and pi:afttiral basis of procedure. l« w* clined to an Imperial M roe trnde, not launched at once, but brought aW gradually by preferential tai-ifiVbemg first arraiuretl, ■ and pnadxialJy bemf? oh.itUraied. "To'do f ch work-oi, griftnt.fie linos it wou d bo neccs.sary^ to take act any disadvantage that might b. decided thjit *o council of the Oil amber ."be asked to koop to Jubirct. of the discussion,ir. view, a,Klto call a general meeting when considered advisable.