PRODUCE, PROSPECTS A N D PROSPERITY

L T H O U G H , in the distribution of mandated A territory, considerable ingenuity was utilised in reconciling vested and imperial interests, the general public were not particularly interested in the matter, and in consequence very little publicity was given to the question. This is to be regretted, in that, in the opinion of the writer, that question more vitally affects every inhabitant of the British Isles than any scheme of Reparations, any theory of Balance of Power, or any dream of a League of Nations. If this opinion, and the grounds upon which it is based, can be suffi- ciently advertised, there will be possibly more atten- tion paid to what is one of the greatest practical pro- blems of the peace than has hitherto been the case, and more sympathy displayed in the struggles of those who, in bad climates at times, and under bad condi- tions always, are endeavouring to retain in a healthy condition those industries that will in the future be- come more or less the life-blood of the Empire.

As the standard of living improves in temperate climates, the cost of production of raw materials in those regions increases almost proportionally, retarded only by the small economies that machinery, improved methods and co-operation in the provision of power can effect. The use of substitutes from the tropics is therefore essential, if the standard of living is not to retrogress under economic pressure. Imperially speak- ing, then, the conservation and development of our tropical assets is a paramount duty. Whether that duty has not been seriously neglected in the past may be an open question, but that it is entirely overlooked at the present moment-Exhibition or no Exhibition -is a tragically patent fact.

23

Produce, Prospects and Prosperity

English capital directly invested in it than any other. In view of the fact that, as a plantation product, it cannot boast a history of more than twenty years, this undue prominence has resulted in a distortion of the view that should be taken of the products of our tropical possessions as a whole. For the purposes of this study it is therefore advisable to dismiss it with the remark that, Stevenson scheme or no scheme at all, rubber will find its true economic level alongside other products from the same localitics. For the pre- sent, its state of artificial preservation makes it an unfit example on which to base our conclusions.

Sugar, again, has becn subjected to so many arti- ficial aids to resuscitation, that, apart from the ques- tion of beet competition, it cannot be considered a product that is worthy of either assistance or con- sideration from the larger view of cmpire resources. Locally, and in small quantities, it will always hold its own, but it is doubtful if it will ever regain the prestige and prosperity of an earlier cra.

It is when the more primitive products of the tropics are studied that we discover the enormous wealth of this part of the empire, and at the same time realise the scandalous neglect with which they have been treated, both by politicians, and by the general public. Such attention as they have received has been directed to them by causes entirely beyond thcir own environ- ment, and in some cases entirely extraneous to the commercial channels in which they are handled. I n fact, had it not been for the temperance movement and the war, there would never have been any dis- cussion on them at all-if we leave out such historical debates as those anent the East India Company and the Company of African Adventurers. As these have long been buried deep in the tomes of Parliamentary Records-which are only kept for their bindings-it can be taken that the whole question would have been

25

Blaci$iars

shelved but for two needs-both alcoholic-trade gin, and explosives. This surely shows that the products of this wide empire are not sufficiently seriously con- sidered by those outside the small commercial ring that is interested in them. Such neglect may at the moment appear harmless, but it is as well to remem- ber that, although Germany is p70 tern inactive in those spheres, other powers are still interested, and to a greater extent than is understood in England. An illuminating article was published in the Revue de Paris, which passed entirely unnoticed by the Eng- lish Press, but which clearly showed that France is alive to this great problem. Admittedly, it was intro- duced as a side issue in the question of reparations, which showed very clearly the inter-relation of that question and of that of marketing the products of the mandated territories. No such frank pronouncement has appeafed on this side, and it can only bc assumed that public interest is not sufficiently alive to that aspect of the problem. France is desirous of develop- ing the resources of those territories for the benefit of her own industries. Great Britain, since the Commis- sion on Edible and Oil-producing Nuts and Seeds of 1916, does not appear to be particularly interested in any of the products of its tropical possessions. Cer- tainly, the ‘slump,’ and the over-production of cocoa in the season following it, are discouraging features, but they only necessitate closer scrutiny of the whole position.

JI: # # # #

I t would be beyond the scope of this article to pro- duce figures, and beyond the patience of the reader to assimilate them. At the best, they are the resort of the beaten politician, and at their worst they are a snare and a delusion for anybody not entirely con- versant with the subject they pretend to deal with.

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Produce, Prospects and Prosperity

Such figures, then, as are used, are introduced f a d e de mieux.

Taking the staple products, the following contrasts must be noted :

1924

28 f;

'9'3 '9'9 ,r 24

Copra (per ton) 3' 74 Palm Kernels 13 46 11

Palm Oil ... 32 '04 3' Ground Nuts ... 14 80 '9

Now, be it noted, in these products the output of our dependencies, as compared with those of other powers, represents some 64 per cent. of the total. The present low prices are partly due to continental conditions, no doubt, but it would be impossible to imagine that -taking into account the present purchasing value of sterling-there is no influence outside that of ordi- nary business requirements influencing the market to the detriment of these valuable commodities. I n other words, there is-there must be-a 'bear' ac- count which has not been asked for cover.

In the case of rubber, which was a purely 'finan- cial' affair, in that the large majority of rubber plan- tations were financed and floated in London, steps were taken. In these larger and more important fields of tropical production, nothing has been done, with calamitous results not only to the colonies concerned, but to the exporting interests in England, that are largely dependent on the demand engendered by a good market for these products.

Both during, and after, the war, there was a great outcry against the ' Combine ' in these commodities. Were it possible to produce an equivalent of the Stevenson scheme in relation to them, at the present moment, a stabilisation of prices on a basis commen- surate with the level of export values, would quickly change the present distorted quotations. It must be

2 7

Blackjriars

remembered that the prices, as quoted, represent values somewhat as follows :

'9'3 1924

8 14 A: =. 24

Copra (in gin) ... 31 - (in :loth) ... 31 I 1 6

Palm Kernels (in gin) x3 3 11 9 9 ,, (in cloth) 13 4 9

and so on. It is impossible to imagine that, with prices such as

these ruling, the development of these resources will be eagerly continued by the disappointed residents of the districts that in former times depended on them for the supply of those necessities and luxuries that Europe alone could supply. No other adequate method of obtaining them has been discovered, and no other satisfactory method-satisfactory, that is, from both commercial and moral standpoint-can be discovered. I t is therefore to be hoped that, before the matter goes too far, steps will be taken to bring up to an economic level the prices of those products which, in the main, are entirely British, on which de- pend, not only the prosperity of our tropical depen- dencies, but the prosperity of many of our manufac- tures, and the stabilisation of food prices in England.

GORDON COOPER.

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