LABOUR’S POLICY CHALLENGED.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18581, 30 May 1930, Page 9

LABOUR’S POLICY CHALLENGED.

Problem Of Unemployment. HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 29, 5.5 p.m.) rugby; May 28. The debate on unemployment in the House of Commons was opene'd by Mr Baldwin, who declared that anything less drastic than safeguarding of industries duties, would not meet the case. He agreed that high tariffs were a bar to business, but they could not get those tariffs reduced while the British market was a dumping ground to which all cheap goods could be sent. The safeguarding of the home markets was an essential basis for the development of markets within the Empire, and a reduction in foreign tariffs had resulted from bargaining between one protected country and another. Prime Minister’s Reply. Mr Ramsay Macdonald declared in countries under protection, unemployment figures had mounted more rapidly than was the case here. Twelve months ago the problem was one of home conditions in relation to normal foreign markets. That was not the problem to-day. Let them take any Industrial country, and it would be found that the world causes had knocked the bottom out of prices, and every country dependent on an export trade, had suffered. He instanced Germany, where the unemployment figures had risen from 17,000,000 to 25,000,000 and the United States, which a year ago had practically no unemployed, and where there were now between 5,000,000 and 6,000.000. They were facing a totally new problem and the Lord Privy Seal (Mr Thomas) has done an enormous amount of work to relieve the situation. He detailed some of the schemes put in hand, and asked if they could not, in the face of the special growth of unemployment, undertake emergency measures to tide Over the period which every authority which had been consulted, agreed was temporary. As soon as confidence was re-estab-lished, orders now withheld would be placed, and they were just as likely to have a period of immediate boom in the provision of large schemes. Municipalities were held up sometimes by technical difficulties, and he asked if the Parties in the House‘of Commons could not join in the measures to expedite such work. Municipalities also might be encouraged to do more than at present, and the Government proposed to summon a conference of representatives of municipal authorities. The question of unemployment might well become the subject for co-operative action. Liberal Leader’s Views. Mr Lloyd George (Leader of the Liberal Party), congratulated Sir Oswald Mosley on his powerful speech. The Chancellor need not be afraid about his conversion loan. If the country engaged in military operations, it could raise thousands of millions; indeed the country was now spending £100,000,000 per year on unemployment. He agreed that the problem should not be treated as a party matter. Mr Churchill favoured a wiselyextended policy of safeguarding or tariff for revenue, particularly on more highly finished forms of manufacture. The real permanent hope of industry lay in reconstruction, re-equipment and rationalisation, which would make factories more efficient, and give a fair chance export market. It would be sheer madness to raise £200,000,000 for unemployment without first formulating definite schemes. Amendment Defeated. The amendment was defeated by 270 votes to 241. When the division was taken Messrs Maxton, Kirkwood, Fenner-Brockway, Buchanan and Stephen remained seated. Most of the Liberals also abstained from voting. The majority of twenty-nine was just about what had been expected. The Government was never in any sense in danger during the debate. There was general agreement that Sir Oswald Mosley’s speech was a personal triumph.