The sun., 1919-02-04
RECIPROCITY PLAN
INTERESTS CANADA
Closer Relations With United
States Discussed by
Bankers.
AFFECTS BRITISH POLICY
The New Government Desires
Closer Made Agreements
Among Dominions.


express interest IN the question as TO ms
way IN which the present movement or
ire part Of the Western provinces o,
Canada for q reciprocity treaty wh,ct
will give closer relations with the United
states will ht IN with the definite policy
adopted by the British Coalition Gov.
eminent for the promotion OF closer ir-
dustrial relations throughout the empire
Australia too wishes to increase her
prosperity by trade relations wherever
they can be advantaseously formed. On
the subject OF British Imperial Problems.
which affect more or less the relations
OF Canada to tho United States the
monthly letter or the National City BANK
issued to-day says:
The election OF the Coalition Govern
ment In Great Britain. composed as T.
Is largely OF members of the Union.s'
party. and the disruption OF the LIBERIA.
party. with the removal from public re
OF SO many of It's old chiefs. probably
means that a definite policy will b.
adopted TO promote closer industrial re-
lations throughout the empire. Mr. AS
auith. who is defeated, was an uncorn-
promising advocate of the policy OF free
trade, and It is probable that his chief
reason for standing out against IRE
maintenance OF a Coalition Ministry dur
ing the period of reconstruction was his
wish to keep himself free to oppose the
various proposals for imperial prefer
ence, protection to home industries and
tariff alliances which he anticipated.
Tie believed that the general policy
OF free trade was vindicated by the
strength which England displayed in the
war. and while he might have conceded
that certain important branches OF In
dustry had been uDwisely neglected, ana
possibly that the influence or patTonsg.
OF the Government should be exerted 10
such Instances. his attitude in the maip
was unchanged.
Lloyd George an opportunist.
Lloyd George has been always
member of the Liberal party and SIP
porter OF free trade. but his interest n
II has been less pronounced than n
other policies. and he is distinctly ar
orportunist. using that word in no OBJ
jectionable sense but TO mean that n
feels free to deal IN what ne CONSIDERS
practical manner with situations ~
they arise. Without doubt the master
purpose IN his mind now IS to develop
the resources OF the British Empire and
draw together in interest as closely as
possible It, scattered parts A majority
OF his colleagues in the Ministry are
probably favorable TO system o:
pre- fcrential tariffs within the empire.
''Ot course all British statesmen desire
the development Of imperial resources
md to strengthen the ties of interest be-
tween the dominions and the mother
land The real question is whether with
their diverse interests any general I'm
perial policy which puts constraint upon
the natural expansion Of their trade VIII
serve these purposes.
''Of course the British Farllamert
would not assume to pass tariff legisls
ton applying to overseas dominions. bOi
would II be practicable for an Imperial
Parliament to do 50 or for the dominio7s
acting separately TO conform their legs
lation TO q common policy for the pur.
pose OF favoring trade within the err
pire? They have done this TO some eI
tent, but the results have no. hse-
marked. The Canadian tariffs gvs
preference to Great Britain, hat the noU
OF trade between Canada and the Unite
States apparently has not been mae
rally affected thereby