Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05

| to get the world in general and Europe
in particular to see the folly of putting
tariff obstacles in the way of world
trade. The American bankers joined
them three years back with an ener-
getic protest against the growth OF
tariff walls in Europe. But nationalism
and the nationalist politician were too
strong. Every state had the dominat-
ing idea that wealth, happiness and
security lay along the line of keeping
out the other fellow, producing every
thing inside the national wall and SELL
ing the surplus outside at what 1t
would fetch.
The new tariff measure in the
United States was the last straw. The
British bankers, who we're for free
trade up to then, signed a manifesto
in favor of protection and imperial CO.
operation; for bankers to commit them
selves like this is against all tradition
in England and came as great shock
to everybody. The captains of indus
try had already been shouting from the
housetops for protection and empire
free trade, but less attention was paid
to them, because the industrialist has
a smelly past in England and the
masses still suspect him Of thinking
solely in terms of a fatter profit for
himself at the expense of workers and
consumers.
Effect of Beaverbrook Activities.
The tide, indeed was rolling in In
great surges. Beaverbrook had launched
his crusade and split the Tory party
and Baldwin was being forced over
! farther and farther toward protection
and imperial cooperation, necessarily
involving tax on all foodstuffs coming
into the island from other than empire
| lands.
McCurdy, Lloyd Georges chief lieu
tenant, left the Liberal group and
came right over as Beaverbrook's aid
| on the empire free trade issue, and half
| the rest of the Liberals (whose whole
political tradition lies in free trade)
! followed suit. Lloyd George himself is
suspected of holding of because he cal
culates he can make a better bargain
when the time comes If he stays on the
| sidelines now.
| In the Labor camp Oswald Mosley
noted the direction of the tide and de-
| cided to ride it. He resigned from the
| government team. Now he has little
| staff of experts, including a professor
from an American university, digging
| up the case for a tariff insulation of
the island from the electric shocks of
the world economic transition: while
Jim Thomas, former lord privy seal
and minister for employment and now
minister for the colonies, has had a
group of economic, financial and colo
NAL experts busy working out for sub
mission to the imperial conference a
plan based upon a tariff.
MacDonald's economic staff has al
ready suggested that the best way out
Of his politico-economic difficulties is
to clap duty on all foreign manufac-
tured goods. Only the opposition of
the inflexible Snowden has held up this
proposition to date. Snowden, indeed,
is. the only man left in the entire po-
litical arena to exert powerful oppo-
sition to this whole protection and en-
pire free trade idea. But he may yet
be converted or he may resign
Mosley hopes he resigns Then the
way would be open for Mosley to step
| into his shoes. He is not unprepared;
he has already measured himself for
them.
Lineup of Business Factors.
The way the business and financial
crowd sees this thing may be gagged
by an important, incident Of the last
week In August. Macdonald some
time back invited Baldwin and LLOYD
George to cooperate with him in seek
ing the cure for unemployment. Bald
win declined Why should he inter-
vene to save Ramsay's political bacon?
Lloyd George accepted. He had moth
ing to expect from the Tories, while
Macdonald in a difficulty always pre-
sents possibilities
Parliament having risen, Macdonald
went up to LosSiemouth on holiday.
Lloyd George stayed at his country place
at Churt and had a crowd of financiers,
economists and industrialists down to
see what could be done. He had him
self photographed with the big men all
sitting round the table in the garden.
The wizard taking counsel on how to
save the nation Just as well to re-
mind the country that he is always
there If the people want him.
Much activity behind the scenes. The
governments economic staff suggested
its now famous scheme for a 10 per
cent tariff on all foreign manufactured
goods. Lloyd George thought it looked
good. Jim Thomas applauded it. Mac
Donald heard the news on the long
distance wire in Scotland and came
south by airplane at hundred miles
an hour.
That night rumors began to circulate
in the city, London'S business heart.
Next morning the stock brokers rushed
TO their Offices and the entire list of in
dustrials shot up from / to 10 points.
The chief elevating agency was a firm
rumor that Macdonald and Lloyd
George had agreed on the 10 per cent
tariff and Snowden had resigned. This
might have meant a coalition govern
ment and some real excitement and
action at last, but the story turned out
to be bit premature However, there
! is no smoke without fire: and the
stocks that moved up did not register
any appreciate fall.
Free Trade Views Undergo Change.
The big fact that energies from all
this Is that the island people, for gen.
erations accepting free trade as a priest
accepts religious dogma, are begin
/ nlng at last TO realize that there is
( nothing sacred about either free trade
or protection, and that customs tariff
must be regarded as a matter of eco
nomlc eXpediency in the world as 1t
Is organized today. Further evidence
| Of this revolutionary change of heart
and mind was provided by the swing
over to protection Of the trades union
congress, representing the organized
labor OF England and the announce
| ment OF the congress president that he
was for food taxes for non-empire prod
use, II only in order to give the agri-
cultural workers a bit of the protection
now enjoyed by the workers In the
sheltered trades.
This is the first time there has been
such situation or such a mood in the
British Isles. If, as the consensus of
/ political opinion believes. the island
/ folk will submit to food taxes on for
| eign produce In order to gain an adj
/ vantage on the industrial side and pro-
mote closer imperial coordination, the
influence upon world trade must be
| profound and an enormous impetus
given to the project of organizing the
vast empire as single economic unit.
So much for the main branch of the
British imperial family. It waits now
to see what the younger branches have
! to say. The fatted calf is being killed
! for than The Rnns IRA a,ri.... -, 49,