Evening star., 1935-12-08
BY ID. M. HALLIDAY.

T%ORONTO.-Facing an extensive
list Of legislation for presenta-
ton to Parliament in January
n and a, plenary session Of the
British Empire Conference in London
next Midsummer, the new Liberal gov
ernment must maintain the fast pace
set by Prime Minister Mackenzie King
In consummating the United States
trade agreement to expedite its elec-
tion promises. An exceptionally busy
first year impends.
OF primary concern to the King ad-
ministration is the unemployment re-
lief problem. Solutions will be dis
cussed, with costs and their allotment,
at the federal-provincial conference
in Ottawa this month. Employment
in Canada has shown steady gains
as the country's business index moves
up to within a fraction of normal, and
is at a higher level than at any time
since December /, 1880. Greatest in
creases have been recorded in logging,
highway and building construction,
mining, retailing and manufacturing
Between October / and November l
the list of jobless shrank $4,000.
United States Pact Only Start.
The governments unemployment
policy is based on its drive for in
creased trade through concessions and
compromises and general scaling
down of the tariff structure. The
United States trade pact is only a
Eay F1ncf-fn UnrnH-
nation treaty with japan is being ne
gotiated to end the present surtax war
and restore commercial relations which
gave Canada a four-to-one balance
before Prime Minister Richard B. Ben
nett established the currency COM
pensation impost.
AS a partial Offset to abolition ot
this tax, Canada is expected to make
periodic adjustments of tariffs to meet
fluctuations in the yen and rely on
the provisions of the 1907 dumping
act, limited to so per cent ad valorem
on any goods sold in Canada at
price below the fair market value as
sold for home consumption in the
country of export.
In this connection it may be noted
that less vexatious dumping dutie:
against automobiles, radio sets and
softwood doors go into effect January
under the Ottawa washington pact
Recent adjustments in the Aus
tralian tariff schedule are expected tc
benefit Dominion industries. Re-
newal of the New Zealand treaty also
presages increased business. Changes
allow freer entry of Canadian motor
cars and parts to the sea-girt British
dominion and compensate Canadian
manufacturers for losses they may
incur under the American agreement
Relief Cost Cut Seen.
Better business foreseen resulting
from these and other trade negotia-
tions will be followed by more en-
ployment, the liberal government be-
lieves. with a consequent reduction
in relief costs, which have given sew
eral provinces the financial staggers
1t is the present intention Of the
King administration to close relief
camps across Canada. These are
similar to the C. c. c. camps in the
United States. Established by the
Bennett government, they have been
denounced by prominent Liberals as
slave camps" degrading Canada's S
standards of living and warping the
lives of thousands of young men
housed in them at 20 cents day
and their board. This 20-cent allow
ance alone has cost federal taxpayers
$1,5Oo,0o0 a year. Since 1882 close to
$4,000 single. homeless unemployed
men have obtained relief in them.
All unemployment questions will
come before a national employment
commission, which Prime Minister
King will ask parliament to sanction.
1t will be patterned after the Cana
dian Patriotic Fund Commission OF