Evening star., 1932-07-21
CANADA PROPOSES
WIDER PREFERENCE
FOR BRITISH GOODS
Effect on Trade of u. S. Nav
Be Considerable if Adopted
at Ottawa.
KING GEORGE SEES HELP
TO WORLD FROM PARLEY
Unity of Empire Keynote of Open
ing Speeches-Irish for
Loyalty Message.
BY Tho Associated Prn,r

BY the Associated Press
OTTAWA, July 21.-A definite offer
proposing wider preferences for British
goods in exchange for greater British
preferences to Canadian imports was
made today by Premier R B. Bennett
Of Canada Immediately after he was
chosen chairman of the Imperial Eco
nolnic Conference.
Any such program of preferences
would have considerable effect in the
trade of the United States.
The premier declared such a system
Of preference exchanges should be en-
curing. Representatives of the domin-
ions. he said. must decide now what
course they intend to take and follow
1t without deviation. His proposal was
directed TO the United Kingdom. but
the offer ives EXTENDED also 10 all other
parts Of the empire wherever its appli-
cation would ce mutually adTan-
tagaCuS
Outlines Two Courses.
There are two ways of obtaining
increased preference. he said. either
by lowering trade barriers among cur
selves or by raising them against others.
The choice is governed largely by local
considerations. bat subject to that. it
seems to US that We should follow the
first rather than the second course.
However great our resources We cam
not isolate ourselves from the rest ot
the world"
The premier declared that when We
marshal the strength Of the empire,
which is the sum total of its coop
Grating parts, We are invincible.'
He pointed out that it was necessary
for each unit of the empire to Go its
utmost in the spirit Of self-help.
Canada Has Given Aid.
In that belief he continued Can
ada in the last two years has done as
best she might to increase her power
for self-service and for empire service.
Only the other day this govern
nient concluded treaty with our
friends and neighborS, the United States
of America. by which the ST. Lawrence
Waterway and the Great Lakes will
be made into great seaway. through
which the commerce Of the empire will
be carried to the heart OF this con-
tinent, and through which the prod
ucts of this country will go out to all
parts of the empire.
This waterway will be free 10 all
ships of the Commonwealth. and / be-
leve will be the sure means by which
the parts of the empire will be brought
still closer TO one another
Message of Loyalty.
One of the frs: acts of the confer
ence was 10 approve a message of
LOYALTY to the King The delegates from
the Irish Free State voted in favor OF
this action. and their vote was Of par
ticular interest because Of the con-
troversy between Dublin and London
over President Eamon De Vale-a's at
tempt to abolish the oath Of allegiance
to the crown.
King George v in a message read
b. the governor general. reminded the
delegates they were writing on new
page of history and their efforts might
60 far toward solving the economic
troubles which weigh not only the
British Empire, but upon all the rest
OF the world.
The efforts of this conference. he
said. should give full effect to the prln-
ciple of cooperation upon which the
empire Is based.
Baldwin Calls for Unity.
Stanley Baldwin. president of the
council in the British cabin-t and head
of the delegation from the United King
dom. spoke then. Quilting the general
purposes of the gathering.
The real Importance Of the confer
ence, said he. lies in the fact that it
marks a point where two reads diverge,
'one leading to the development of
purely national interests. the other to
closer imperial unity and the recognl-
ton of advantages in mutual trade
cooperation
If at the end OF the conference the
dele>es can say that they have taken
the latter road he said. the actual dis
tance covered is Of minor importance,
because progress will continue"
Great Britain has given the domin-
ions the privilege of free entry into
ports of the United Kingdom, and the
dominions have given preference to
Great Britain. said MIR. Baldwin. but the
opportunities of mutual preference have
by no means been exhausted. Empire
! trade is still only 30 per cent among
the British dominions and 10 per cent
with foreign countries.
The trend today" he said. lis to-
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