Evening star., 1934-12-16

culture and an enthusiastic "planner"
of the Fabian persuasion he has set
himself to the task Of putting the
farmer upon his legs by a system Of
protection, quotas, subsidies and all
the paraphernaia so dear to the
heart of the planner.
What will be the effect Of all this
utSn the consuming public of coun-
try nearly 80 per cent Of which is
urban, engaged in manufacture and
largely dependent on foreign trade,
remains to be seen. Its effect upon
the relations of Britain with the
dominions is becoming apparent.
It is from the dominions, and espe-
cially from Australia, that the food
supplies of the country are mainly
drawn. Take away the British mar
ket from the wheat, meat. fruit and
wool trade of Australia and New Zea-
land, and the occupation of those
countries is gone
You can buy New Zealand butter
and Australian mutton cheaper in
English shops than they can be bought
In Melbourne or Auckland, and at
a price with which the British farm
er cannot possibly compete. And
though blood is thicker than water,
it is cold comfort to the British farm
er that he is being beaten out Of the
field by his kinsmen overseas even
more than by the foreigner"
~ %*x
In rehabilitating his client at the
expense of the industrial community
Mr.. Elliot is brought up bluntly against
the competition of the dominions. If
he cannot handicap that competition
in some degree, he can do nothing for
the British farmer. Hence his syS-
tenn of quotas and restrictions applies
to the dominions no less than to
foreign countries. It is less drastic,
of course, and is qualified by prefer
ences, as against the foreign competi-
tor, but it Is effectively limiting the
market-and more restrictions are
contemplated.
1t is against this policy that DR..
Page has issued his warning. He is
the leader of the Agricultural party
in Australia, and at an agricultural
conference he said two things: Q)
That unless Australia can sell her
produce freely in Great Britain she
will be unable to meet debt commit
ments, to buy British machinery, or
to continue the development on which
huge sums Of British money had been
expended. ca That if Britain in
sisted on restricting Australian goods.
Australia would have to consider
adopting some unnatural and un-
economic policy Of providing for her
own requirements internally"
But the complaint on this side is
that this is what Australia has
already done. AS the Manchester
Guardian observes, Australian poll
ticians can scarcely mount the high
horse in view of the way in which
Australia has interpreted the Ottawa
agreement and in view of the gen.
erous treatment hitherto accorded by
US to Australian goods. What are
the Australian duties on cotton goods
II they are not part and parcel Of
"an unnatural and uneconomic pol
ICY? Those duties are practically
prohibitive of certain Lancashire ex-
pOrJS ana nave IeCeuhy Uccu IIlc OC-
casion of an embittered feeling in
Lancashire, certain towns even going
so far as to threaten q boycott Of
Australian commodities.
X X n y
There is no doubt that Mr.. Elliot
would like to regulate Australian
exports still further, but, as he said
in the House of Commons, he can
do little for two years. Much will
happen before those two years are
up. Things are not going well with
the present British government and,
if the cost of living rises, as 1t is
certain to do under the Elliot policy,
it is quite on the cards that the next
election will see the government out
and Labor in.
The whole controversy shows upon
what dangerous seas this country has
embarked by deserving her historic
free trade policy.
<Copyright, 1934.l