HUSKISSON AND OTTAWA 77
that they invite retaliation by the governments of other
countries; (iv) that they give a bad example to the rest of
the world. But what are the facts?
(1) The Dominions have most faithfully observed their
share of the bargain over a period of years in which the faith-
ful observance of contracts and treaties was all too rare
among the great powers of Europe. They instituted Tariff
Boards, which time and again resisted the importunate
demands of their own manufacturers and workers. The
Report of the Australian Tariff Board for the year ending
30th January, 1933, testifies to the spirit in which the agree-
ments were carried out. It recommends a reasonable
protective duty on classes of goods which are in sufficient
demand to permit of their production at an economical
figure, and a lower duty or free admission for other classes
of goods. I will not disguise from the Committee that
certain interests in the Commonwealth feared that these
agreements had impaired its sovereignty and, after taking
the advice of eminent counsel, claimed that it was entirely
legal for the Executive or Parliament of the Commonwealth
to disregard the recommendations of the Tariff Board. But
having the power, they refused to use it, recognising the duty
which liberty owes to power. New Zealand and Canada
acted with a like restraint and moderated their tariffs to the
point at which a further reduction might have impaired
industries which would be vital in the event of war.
(2) The Petition states that we have sacrificed our liberty
of manoeuvre. Again I appeal to facts. I hold in my hands
copies of the commercial treaties which His Majesty's
Government very shortly concluded with our traditional
allies in Europe and America: Norway, Iceland, Sweden,
Denmark, Finland, the Argentine Republic and (more
recently) the United States. The Dominions, however,
rightly objected to the proposal of the agricultural interest
in Great Britain that the meat and butter of the Dominions
should enter this country in limited quantities only: or,
alternatively, should pay an import duty, the proceeds of
which would be added to the prices received by the British
producers of the same articles. I cannot conceive of a
greater injustice than to close our ports to these great