Evening star., 1943-02-21
British Statesman Sees Controls
Resulting in Prosperous Peace
Morrison, Home Secretary Points to Restrictions
of Wartime as Pattern for Guiding
Initiative in Future Y ears
BY Herbert Morrison,
British Home Secretary Minister of Home Security

+ method, the method OF beggar- my
neighbor is wrong and is doomed to
failure, as it always failed 1t is eco
nomic war, no matter how polite the
names we give it, 1t will lead, as it
always has led, to military war.
1t is based on the utterly false as
sumption that there is fixed amount of
world trade to be done, and that if
| somebody else Goes it. we won't. The
truth is that there lies before all nations
the possibility Of tremendous expansion
il world trS &c, as in industry at home.
Industrial growth has taken place in
many countries overseas. This is fine
for uS-don't think of it as making COM
petitors; think Of it as making markets.
II we pin our faith too exclusively to
our export industries in their old forms,
built up to supply the needs of backward
countries, we will suffer as other coun-
tries become richer and less backward.
But if we are ready to take care of
the newer needs of the industrially de-
veloplng countries, If we are lively in our
thinking and planning, our making and
selling, then every increase in the riches
OF China or India or our colonies or
anywhere else can add to our own export
opportunities and our own prosperity.
May Guide Initiative.
This presents to us in Britain the task
of insuring that our export industries are
as efficient and active as possible. Per-
sonal enterprise built up these industries
in the very different circumstances of
the past but, after the war, that initia-
tive will need to be supported and, in
deed, would say guided by the state.
In my opinion, We shall need to broad
en- the whole conception of public policy
in relation to the export trades after the
war. We shall need to work on the
basis of a much closer partnership be-
tween the state and industry, in which
each has rights but each, also, has i'm
portant obligations to the other. My own
program for export could be summed up
under five headings.
To begin with, factual examination,
industry by industry, of resources, weak
nesseS, assets difficulties potential for
eign markets and the means to serve
them.
Secondly a greatly improved consular
service, equipped with the means, not
only to analyze markets abroad for the
information of industry at home, but
ready also to work in close and con-
structive collaboration with the repre-
sentatives of our industries and their
customers on the spot.
Program of Education.
Thirdly, an extensive program of COM
mercial and technical education, carried
out under the stimulus and supervision
of the state, and aiming to raise to new
levels the quality of the recruits who
will come forward for the work of re-
search, management, production and
marketing.
Fourthly, right on the part of the
state to examine the situation and cir
cumstances of any import industry in
difficulties, or not showing satisfactory
results, or in need of help, either in its
own estimation or in the estimation of
the government; and readiness on the
part of the state to give help in meeting
the need whatever it is, whether capital,
re-equipment or better standard of