PERIL OF DELAY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1935, Page 5

PERIL OF DELAY

BOLD ACTION URGED LLOYD GEORGE’S REMEDY DEFINITE LINE for PEACE ‘•USE RUTHLESS TARIFFS” FORMATION OF A COUNCIL By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec.-5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 17. “Mammon and Mars have made a horrible mess of this generation and it is time they were both certified as dangerous lunatics and locked up,” said Mr. David Lloyd George at the opening of his “new deal” campaign with which he celebrated his seventy-second birthday before an enthusiastic audience at Bangor. Mr. Lloyd George, walking with the springiness of a man of half his years, reproduced his old picturesque phrasing and vividness of gesture. He declared he was not attempting to launch a party campaign, but .as the Government was failing in its duty he proposed, as an old servant of the public, to rouse Cabinet to the perils of delaying bold action. “Nothing is practical that falls short of the magnitude of necessity, which demands complete overhaul and reconstruction,” he said. “Britain must take a more 1 definite line, ensuring the adjustment of questions threatening peace, notably disarmament and the Chinese situation; The world is ready and eager to follow a British lead. The United States is willing to co-operate with Britain both in Europe and in the Pacific. The Pacific from the viewpoint of trade shows more promise than Europe as from the standpoint of war it holds more menace. RUTHLESS TARIFFS. “Britain must use tariffs ruthlessly to induce the removal or at least the reduction of difficulties in foreign trading.” Mr. Lloyd George proposed the establishment of a statutory council drawn from industry, commerce, .finance, the workers and economic thinkers to prepare reconstruction schemes and review the possibilities of the colonial empire. The council would also review school leaving and pension ages and consider the question of shorter hours of work. He added that he believed a great pros-, perity loan would be eagerly over-sub-scribed. He criticised the Bank of England’s policy and said its blunders during the last 12 years had cost the nation more than would suffice .to pay for a gigantic scheme of industrial, agricultural and social reconstruction. The Bank of England must be independent of the financier’s viewpoint and must be in closer touch with industry and commerce. Mr. Lloyd George concluded: “I believe that if we act promptly the clouds will be lifted in the spring."