THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1929. A COMING INVASION.

Wairarapa Age, 4 July 1929, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1929. A COMING INVASION.

Is the British Empire capable of making head against an American trade invasion—a greater and more formidable invasion than the land of the Almighty Dollar has yet attempted! This question is raised pointedly in a speech by the Commonwealth Prime Minister (Mr. S. M. Bruce) which is briefly reported to-day. The United States, Mr. Bruce told his hearers, has enormously increased her manufacturing capacity and is now concentrating upon a terrific efficiency campaign. She is going to flood the world with her manufactures during the next few years. These, of course, are familiar facts but their implication, more especially .to the countries of the British Empire, is far from having received the attention it deserves.

Nothing is more certain than that America is preparing to increase enormously her exports of manufactured goods. Neither is it in doubt that unless she is prevented from doing iso she will dispose of a greatly increased volume of manufactured exports in the countries of the British Empire-coun-tries with which she is already trading on terms immensely advantageous to herself. In light of what has already happened, it is obvious that a gigantic dumping campaign undertaken by America will intensify industrial depression and unemployment in Great Britain, and this in a measure by ousting Britain from part of the foothold she now enjoys in the markets of her own Dominions. Even from, a mere standpoint of self-interetst, this spells ultimate disaster to the Dominions. The expansion of their imports from America must progressively undermine the position and purchasing power of their best customer, and the United States certainly is not proposing to take Britain’s place as a buyer of Dominion produce. Her present Tariff Bill speaks for itself on that point. Farmers in this country are opposed with some reason to the increase of protective duties, but it seem® incumbent on farmers, as well as on other sections of the population, to consider what economic future is in store for them if America is enabled progressively to oust British manufactured exports even from the markets of the Dominion®. While much of the classic free trade theory has gone by the board in fh.ce of what America and other countries have accomplished under a protectionist policy, it does not by any means follow that such a campaign as America is now developing is to be countered merely by elevating protective duties to a higher level. Britain herself, to appearance, has much to gain from protecting her own manufacturing industries and the question of increasing the tariff preference already granted to her by the Dominions may be expected to command practical attention in the near future. The supreme need of the situation, however, is a co-ordination of

economic policy throughout the Empire which would give to all Empire countries something of the advantage that America derives from the highly efficient organisation of her industries. Perhaps the most hopeful step that could be taken in that direction is one suggested the other day by a writer in the London “Morning Post.” Observing that there is absolutely no coordinating machinery directing all the conflicting and often .inter-cancelling efforts of the bewildering array of societies, concerned directly and indirectly with Empire trade, this writer added that he found a wide demand that a conference of Empire business men, entirely free from political influence, should be held before the next imperial Conference. This is an excellent suggestion. Possibly no really effective attempt may be made to develop a policy of Imperial economic co-ordinalion until the pressure of American coinpetition and other adverse factors becomes unbearable. The suggested conference, might do a good deal, however, to concentrate attention upon the opportunities that are being neglected by Empire countries and to open the way to the combined action that must be taken sooner or later. A THANKSGIVING CONCERT. On Sunday next Thanksgiving services are to be held throughout the Empire in gratitude for the recovery of His Majesty King George V from his late serious illness. The occasion is one on which British people in all parts of the world will unite most heartily. King George has distinguished himself equally by a most zealous and faithful discharge of his royal duties and by fine human qualities which have enabled him to identify himself in an altogether remarkable degree with the joys and sorrows of his people. Much more than ceremonial significance will attach to the observances in the churches of the Empire on Sunday next. In Maisterton, the Thanksgiving services in the churches are to be followed by a concert on Sunday evening arranged by the Municipal Band. This concert also is to be an occasion. of thanksgiving, and it is suggested that in their gratitude for the restoration to health of a well-beloved King, members of the public may very appropriately give a thought to the sufferers by the recent earthquake in the South Maud and contribute something to the relief of their distress. The arrangements to this end made by the Municipal Band no doubt will command general approval and 'support. As may be seen from a news item we publish to-day, the concert on Sunday evening promise® to be a noteworthy occasion of its kind. Items will be contributed by a number of vocalists as well as by the band and an address is to be delivered by the Mayor (Mr. T. Jordan). By the kindnewi of 2Y-A., Wellington, a summary of this address is to be broadcasted. It only remains that the public should make good use of the opportunity that is offered of setting a practical and thoroughly appropriate finale to the day of national thanksgiving. METHODS THAT PAY. A very encouraging state of affairs is disclosed in the particulars of herd testing in several of the Wairarapa groups which we publish to-day. From the figures it is very clear that the owners of tested herds are deriving substantial benefits in increased and more economical production. At the .wo time, even the variation in the test figures shows that there is stall plenty of scope for further improvement. In the actual and prospective formation of additional groups there is encouraging evidence that the dairy farmers of the Wairarapa are waking up to the value and importance of testing, but the awakening is not yet complete and universal. It would be If all dairy fanners would but realise that the neglect of testing amounts simply to a refusal to pick up money that is within easy reach. The statement published to-day mentions, for instance, that many farmers are now getting better returns from forty cows than they got formerly from sixty. Plenty of similar evidence is available, and it surely ought to convince even the most sceptical farmer that if he fails to take up testing he is doing a serious injury to his own pocket, or bank account.