“HUMBUG” OFFER

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1930, Page 7

“HUMBUG” OFFER

CANADIAN RESENTMENT

MR. THOMAS TAKEN TO TASK EMPIRE’S ECONOMIC NEEDS DOMINION’S OFFER KILLED LITTLE HOPE FOR OTTAWA By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 5.51 p.m. London, Dee. 1. “Mr Thomas condemned beyond the possibility of further discussion and in language deeply resented by the Government, Canada’s proposal which I made in a sincere desire to meet our individual and common needs,” says Mr. R. B Bennett, Prime Minister of Canada, in a statement referring to Mr. J. H. Thomas’ speech in the House of- Commons on Thursday in reply to the Conservative’s motion of censure arising from the Imperial conference. Mr. Bennett declares Mr Thomas used terms as unusual as they were injurious of a proposal which he believed contained the best solution of the urgent problem of closer Empire economic association. v “I refrained from earlier allusion,” Mr. Bennett adds, “in the hope and expectation that the far-reaching consequences which must inevitably attach to the statement would have compelled its denunciation by the British Government, whose failure to do so must be construed as an endorsement of the statement.”

Mr. Bennett emphasises that the delegates separated in the earnest desire and hope that the Ottawa conference in 1931 would enable the discovery of some means of common acceptability for Empire economic association. He adds that Mr. Thomas must be taken as having condemned a principle which all the Dominions approved, a specific illustration of jvhich was advanced when a move was made to remove the debates from purposeless and unprofitable generalities. “Mr. Thomas condemned it despite the resolutions the conference passed, despite his own Government’s statement of policy and despite the fact that the conference had not seriously discussed either the principle of preferences or my own -plans to make them operative. He also condemned it without offering a positive alternative proposal. “I regret to refer to his statement but there is no other course in justice to Canada and the cause of Empire economic unity, for if the statement indicates the British attitude towards Ottawa I have little hope that any agreement Canada may reach with the Dominions will include tire United Kingdom., ‘Time is running against us. If Canada’s proposal is to be thus contemptuously rejected Canadians can only embrace other means at hand of further strengthening their economic position.” The Daily Telegraph describes Mr. Bennett’s statement as “crushing, such as has never been published during the history of relations between Britain and the Dominions despite periods of transient disagreement. Fortunately Mr. Thomas’ speech binds only a Government which is tottering for its fall; it has been dealt a fatal blow by this revelation.” . .. ' ■ . CALLED CANADA’S OFFER HUMBUG. MR. THOMAS’ SPEECH IN HOUSE. In his Speech in the House of- Commonson Thursday Mr. Thomas said if there hadbeen made at the Imperial Conference any proposals that would help British trade and give employment it would have been the Government’s duty to accept them, but the Government had been asked to-put a tax on foodstuffs and in return Canada was prepared to increase preference but not to remove any tax. Protest was made when Mr. Thomas referred to the offer made by Canada as ‘"humbug.” He said the Government was being censured for not doing what Mr. Baldwin himself could not have done if he had been in office without breaking his election pledges against food taxes. Mr. Thomas expressed deep appreciation of the 'spirit in which preferences weregiven by the Dominions, but if preferences were reduced to be bargains he was'certain they would have disastrous results. The Government heartily affirmed the principle that Imperial preference was of great value, Mr. Thomas said, but tariff preferences were not. The only possible Imperial preferences remaining were the existing tariff preferences. The Government had met legitimate doubts by giving some guarantee of their continuitv without bargaining of any kind. Reviewing other features of the conference’s work -Mr. Thomas said it had enlarged the present scope of the Economic Committee. The conference had given close consideration to the quota scheme, while the bulk purchase and import boards which were examined were being further explored in a desire to achieve something practical. Mr. Thomas repudiated the suggestion that the Dominions were disappointed with the results of the conference, at which they had consolidated the existing position and the way for consideration of all economic problems which would help the trade of the Empire.