The Proposed Economic Talks
Viscount Cranborne took the opportunity afforded by a question in the House of Lords last Tuesday to state that the Government welcomed the proposals for an economic conference of the United Nations recently made by President Roosevelt and Mr. Sumner Welles. The President, it Will be recalled, suggested discussions on food ; Mr. 'Welles spoke of discussions on a wider economic basis,—on all those problems, in fact, which concern methods of achieving "freedom from want." Beyond stating that the Govern- ment had been in touch with the Dominions and India on post-war financial questions, and had had informal meetings with the Allied Governments in England, the Lord Privy Seal said little more than that it welcomed the American initiative. From this it would appear that definite plans about economic talks have yet to be made, and that our Government probably awaits further communications from Washington. Yet Mr. Roosevelt spoke about discussions on food in the spring, and Mr. Sumner Welles dwelt on the urgency of getting on with a study of the economic problems that are of concern to all the United Nations. It is of the utmost importance that when the parties to the proposed conference meet each of them should have made a preliminary study of the issues to be dealt with, and should be prepared to make constructive suggestions ; and suggestions that may be made by this country obviously should be governed not only by international conditions, but by the special requirements of trade and employment in Britain. Discussions on these questions here have gone much further than is generally realised. A general statement on the subject by the appropriate Minister would be of advantage, for the impression that we are behindliand in such matters is unfortunate as well as incorrect.
Previous page
