The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-22

as an organized guardian of the interests of the historic British policy.
 'The view which the free trade group
 holds of the report suggesting a policy Of imperial preference issued ty the com nittee on commercial and industrial policy headed by Lord Balfour of Burleigh, Is that the committee was not a well bal anced and impartial representative of
 British opinion, that it was virtually
 packed with protectionists, and that lead CTS of the free trade faith were excluded. The free traders say the declaration of principles is put forth at the present time for the purpose of influencing the imperial conference, which will assemble in London this spring. They aver that
 an attempt to commit the government
 tc. the adoption of any new tariff policy
 at the present time is a violation of the political truce, on contentious matters to which the two leading parties in Parliament pledged themselves soon aft
 CT the beginning of the war.
 The publication of the report was fol- lowed by a meeting of the parliamentary free trade committee to consider meas ures for opposition. Seventy members of
 Parliament attended, and the proceedings were secret. Among those present were
 Lord Bryce Reginald McKenna, chan cellor of the exchequer in the Asquith cabinet, Walter Runciman, and Sir John simon, prominent members of that cabi-
 net John Burns, and others of the rank
 and file of the liberal and labor parties in the commons, and members of the ! House of Lords. The discussion which took place gave evidence that there will be no sweeping change in the govern ment's tariff policy, while the war is in progress, without a hard party fight, with straightout protectonists, protec- | ttionists for imperial preference only, and full free traders as the beligerents. Of course any scheme of protective tariff would be infinitely more compli- cated and difficult for the British em- rire-with the distinct and sometimes op- posing interests of the United Kingdom, and of the self-governing dominions of Canada, Australia, South Africa, and of India to be reconciled-than for geograp ph- ically compact nations like the United States, Russia, Germany and France, which are protectionist countries. Ire land has come forward already with plea for the safeguarding of her own spe- cial interests, and as strong an opponent
 of home rule as the Morning Post recog- iiizes the reasonableness of 1relands s claim.
 In the now famous Paris conference the nations of the entente committed them selves to the principle of special com mercial arrangements for the period of feCOnSLructlOn a1ter the war, at least. That policy, so far as it concerns the
 British people, awakened strong opposi- tion. Even it's supporters have not yet advanced any definite programme. Tentative suggestions are made for a graded tariff for the United Kingdom. Nebulous suggestions appear in the pro- tectionist newspapers for an arrangement with one scale of duties for the colonies, a higher one for allies, another for neu- trals and fourth for enemies Progress sive protection" the scheme is styled by Francis Hirsts financial paper, Common Sense.
 The free trade resistance by no means portends that Great Britain is likely to l maintain her old policy of wide open and unrestricted free trade. The experiences of war have imposed upon the nation lesson of its limitations. The lesson is that it is dangerous for any island nation to depend upon it's shipping for the great CT part of it's rations. And also that it is equally dangerous to depend upon 1 foreign imports for any materials neces- l sary for carrying on a war