Evening star., 1932-07-05

goods. A complicating factor in this
! connection arises from the fact that,
since the World War, local industries
have sprung up in various parts of the
Empire, and they have become so
strongly intrenched that the mere sug-
gestion of being asked to share their
market with British manufactured COM
modities may produce conflict in the
conference which may have fatal results:
Therefore, observers feel that 1t Will
be unwise for British manufacturers TO
cherish any extravagant hopes that the
! deliberations of the Ottawa conference
| will result in the doors of the Canadian
market being opened wide to them.
What is true of Canada in this respect,
may be equally true. in varying degree,
regarding the other units OF the En-
pire similarity situated.
Wheat Market Vital
But while Britain is going to seek
new outlets for her manufactured
goods, Canada is desirous of increasing
! its market for wheat, and probably will
| demand the exclusion or Russian and
| other foreign grain from the Empire.
! At any rate, Premier Bennett is pre-
pairing to carry out his part of the
| understanding, and has requested the
! Canadian Manufacturers Association
! to survey the whole field of Canadian
| industry in relation to the tariff and
to formulate suggestions about tarlft
changes to stimulate inter-1mperlaI
| trade.
Undoubtedly the association will not
give any serious encouragement to
! diminution of the protection now en-
Joyed by any of its members, but this
does not mean that it will make no
suggestions of concessions, since the
Bennett ministry is quite capable OF
making tariff concessions to British
manufacturers on its own account, even
though they may be unpalatable to GER
tain local interests.
It must be remembered, however, that
! the Bennett government came into
power on a rigid protectionist platform,
and while degree of concessions may
be offered, it cannot completely alien
ate its industrial supporters by COM
pletely throwing down the bars for the
British manufacturers.
Switch in Market.
AS previously pointed out, the weigh
ing Of these factors may direct the at
tention of the delegates TO agreements
which, if entered into, would result In
the transfer of Canada's purchases OF
a large volume of commodities from the
United States to Great Britain.
Just how far Canadians themselves
will go in buying British goods in pref
erence to American must, of course, be
weighed against the value Canadians
place on the market for their goods in
the United States. Through thick and
thin the huge American market has re-
manned Canadas largest and best and
before Canadian manufacturers recon-
mend steps which will decrease this
valuable field they will probably, de-
liberate long time.
Another domestic factor, which will
control Canada'S deliberations in the i'm
perial conference is that which revolveS
about American branch plants in Can
ada, which are hybrid affairs, neither
wholly American nor wholly Canadian;
and the strictly Canadian plants. There
can never be a community of interest,
so far as tariffs are concerned, be-
tween these two classes Of plants, on
the one hand, and British plants on
the other.
Agriculture Trade Large.
According to monthly Canadian
bank review, one-fourth of the normal
income of the Canadian people is still
from the sale of raw materials governed
by world prices.
This is where Canada has her great
est interest in the Imperial Conference.
1t can yield her great profit If it can
assure her a more stable market for
the absorption of an exportable surplus
OF foodStuffs and raw materials, and
the prospect Of gradual betterment
in their prices. The stimulation of
purchasing power, which would thereby
accrue would rebound to the benefit of
her industrialists.
To gain such position, however, she
must sacrifice some of her industrial
advantages. If the idealistic spirit is
all prevailing, the conference may take
this turn. If more practical consider
ationS govern, despite all the elabo-
rate staging which has taken place, the
conference may accomplish no more
than it did in 1880.
(Copyright. 1882. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc)