Orders of the Day — Export and Import Trade

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 March 1947.

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Photo of Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker , Banbury 12:00, 24 March 1947

Most certainly. I believe that we should go further, that we should knit the Colonial Empire closer together and get on the same sort of footing with them as with Northern Ireland and have complete Colonial free trade.

I believe that the study of the question of the escape clause and what has led up to it has in one respect completely altered the approach to the Geneva conference. On the other hand we should be prepared to welcome the United States at the conference with the escape clause, rather than not to have them there at all. That brings me to my last point. We have in the United States an immense fund of good will towards this country. I believe from what has happened in the last six or seven months when I was over there there has been a considerable development. I see in the last copy of "Life" which has reached me there were three suggestions put forward, the third of which states: bring about closer economic and military co-operation between the United States and Britain than has existed before, even during the war. Besides all this we must take action to restore health to Britain's economy. This means giving British industry as much technical help and leadership as the Englishman can be persuaded to accept. I am not putting forward this extract in a controversial way but to show that in an influential journal such as "Life," whose editor, Mr. Jackson, incidentally, formed with the hon. Member for East Coventry (Mr. Crossman) one of the brilliant and little recognised partnerships in co-operation during the war in North Africa and at S.H.A.E.F. There is an attitude of mind in the United States towards co-operation with us. An olive branch is being held out at the moment and I believe they are prepared to co-operate as never before and that we should do everything we can to co-operate with them. As my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes said there is no need for a moderate, or even a strong policy of Imperial Preference to conflict with the long term interest of the United States. But as in 1939, 1940 and 1941 when we stood alone and all these Dominion and Empire countries rallied to us and gave us the greatest military and economic support, so we can now give them back the economic and military support at the present time.