Grand Forks herald., 1916-10-16
BRITAIN READY
TO GRAB TRADE
u. S. Election Interests
Their Manufacturers
Greatly.
Naturally the Empire would
Like to See Mr.. Wilson
Reelected.

Winnipeg. Man, Oct. 16.-It is per-
haps significant of the tremendous in-
terest British manufacturers are dis
playing in the approaching federal
election in the United States that at
the sessions OF the British trade COM
mission held this week in Winnipeg
these board Of trade experts discussed
at length the possible influence on
the volume of merchandise exports
of British products into the states any
increase in the tariff policy of the
republic might exert. That these big
men of the various dominions who
form the great empire commission to
work out a progressive after-the-war
trade policy are devoting their en-
ergies to Canada while the political
contest is being waged in the states
where decision means so much to
the British fiscal establishment per-
llaps equally important as bearing on
international trade problems. The
personnel Of this body is: Sir George
F. Foster. minister of trade and COM
merce, representing Canada; Sir Jan.
Langerman, representing South At
rica; William Lorimer, Great Britain;
Joseph Tatlow, New Zealand; Hon. ].
E. Sinclair Australia. and Hon. Sir
Edward Bowring. New Foundland.
These gentlemen have been holding
meetings for many weeks in different
Canadian centers. consulting with
manufacturers, bankers. government
officials and representatives of the
great export agencies who form such
an essential part of the empire foreign
trade system.
Survey of Natural Resources
The work outlined for the commits
sion is to report upon the natural
resources Of the dominion Of the
whole empire, the development of
such resources, the facilities which
exist or may be. created for the pro-
duction, manufacture and distribution
ments of each dominion and the
United Kingdom and the best meth
DDS of extending and improving the
empire commerce with the balance Of
the world No more exhaustive in
vestigation into the possibilities Of
world trade was ever projected and
the organization will travel to re-
mote parts of the empire in the in
terest of the British trade system The
result of this tour will be mass Of
data, carefully analyzed. bearing upon
every aspect of placing British made
goods into the markets of the world.
In fact, the information collected and
classified will constitute a valuable
source of reference for every British
manufacturer in the race for world
trade after the war.
The tariff policy and methods of
trade distribution in the United States
therefore assumes special significance
at this particular time in the plans
Of this commission. The republic is
a rich field for exploitation by British
manufacturers with their elaborate
system Of world commerce but a low
tariff wall around the republic is
essential to the success Of this idea.
Therefore 1t is not surprising that
British manufa cturers make no secret
of their hope for Democratic victory
that will not alter the Underwood
tariff is the hope of British manufac-
turers, and especially those with fac
tories in Canada. In 1914 these Can
adian merchandise exports totalled
s47s,997.92s and in 1915 passed the
half million mark while this year the
factory OUTPUT for foreign exports will
exceed billion dollars in value. The
American market is the chief con-
sumer of this great foreign trade Of
the dominion and this item is nothing
in comparison with the volume Of
business in manufactured products the
British Isles will do with the republic
after the war. The basis of the en-
pire fiscal policy after the war will of
course be the increased exports Of
manufactured products from the
United Kingdom and every portion of
the colonies: In 1914 Canada i'm
ported goods Of total value of
s65o.746,797 but If present plans Of
the trade commission work out sue
cessfully, the tariff wall to be raised
around Canada will be 30 high few
if any products Of the United States
factories will be able to reach this
market while at the rame time it is
hoped to see the Underwood tariff
continue in existence to the end that
the trade balance with the republic
will be substantially in favor Of Can
ada.
Wilson Means Much to Them.
The election of President Wilson
and Democratic congress therefore
means much to the success of this
vast trade scheme. If there is one
thing more than another that British
manufacturers are watching today
outside the zone OF war, 1t is the po-