Evening star., 1932-07-24
All Britain Concerned
In Ottawa Conference
BY A. c. GARDINER.

LONDON, July 23.-Despite the dra-
matte happenings in Germany and
Italy, public attention here has centered
this week on Ottawa.
The opening speeches of the imperial
economic conference have given more
satisfaction to liberal opinion than to
the zealots Of the imperial "zollverein"
idea. of whom Lord Beaverbrook is the
most claimant advocate.
Stanley Baldwin's declaration that
we cannot isolate ourselves from the
world" struck the keynote of the gath
ering and the most cheering fact was
the unanimity with which the delegates
dissociated themselves from the Beaver
brook thesis Of the British Empire
against the world The naive concep-
ton that the British Empire can be
consolidated by ring fence of tariffs
against the foreigner has been emphat-
icGlly repudiated, and Baldwin, in urg-
ing that the aim of the conference
must be the promotion OF mira imperial
trade by lowering tariffs rather than by
raising them has set up sane princi
pie for the guidance Of the conference.
1t remains to be seen how the good
intentions can be given practical eX-
preston. 1t is gratefully admitted here
that Premier Benefits scheme shows
specifically marked Improvement on
that which created SO unfavorable an
impression at the conference in London
three years ago.
The plan outlined for system of re-
ciprocal preferences, first between Can
ada and this country. on the general
basis of exchange of manufactured
goods for raw materials. was favorably
commented on, but the question is asked
whether the preferences offered on the
Canadian side are in the direction OF
lowering or abolishing duties on British
goods or merely adding brick or two
to the Canadian tariff wall against
foreign goods In a word. has the fun
damentally exclusive policy of the Ca
madam Manufacturers Association been
modified?
Special significance is attached to the
report that British and Canadian steel
producers have reached an agreement
in regard to the ALLEGATION of different
types of steel production between the
two countries. and that the result may
be such revision of the Canadian tariff
as to enable British producers to secure
substantial part of the American
trade in the Canadian market
But is the preference Of the British
manufacturers to be achieved by low
ering the existing duties on British i'm
ports or by raising the duties still
! higher against the United States pro-
ducera It is argued here that spp!ica-
ton of the principle enunciated By Bald
win in this case would result in far
more real gain to British trade and
raise far less objection from the Amer
lean point Of view.
The same issue arises acutely in the
case of the important British trade in
terests with such countries as the Ar
gentine and Scandinavia, whose prod
ucts are in direct competition with those
of South Africa and Australasia. Much
responsible opinion here favors an eX-
tension CT the privileges of the British
Commonwealth economic system to
countries that are willing to concede
the same terms of commercial inter-
course, but if this is premature. feeling
is emphatic that nothing done at Ot-
tawa should prejudice existing trade
with foreign countries. If the wise in
tentions expressed at the opening OF
the conference should be supplemented.
every concrete proposal put forward
must be subjected to the test not only
of how it affects the trade OF Britain,
Canada and India, but Of how 1t re-
acts on the trade of the world.
y \ X
While the main interest of the con-
ference centers in the handling OF the
thorny problem Of tariffs, much Is ex-
pected from it in regard to less contro-
versial matters. The desperate position
of the primary producing debtor coun-
tries like Australia, New Zealand and
India, as a result of the calamitous
fall In the prices Of their export prod
ucts, makes the currency question one
of great urgency. and the Ottawa solu-
ton of this great matter is anxiously
awaited.
The question q imperial migration