The following article extracted from Labor Forward, Australian left ‘ wing Labor Party journal, gives an important comment®ly of the differences betw- \ een the British and Australian Tories, Ed, Note, The article reads:
Judged purely as a publicity stunt, McEwen's trip to Washington and Brussels must be seen as an enormous success. But, underneath the headlines, McEwen was engaged in a desperate attempt to protect Australian trade interests against an inevitable development of European, British, and American capitalism. His attempt to safeguard Australian exports against the trade interests of Europe and America must, in the end, be futile and absurd. While it is possible that he might win for Australian capitalism a few token concessions from the Common Market and the U.S. — which would be granted merely to keep onside, and soften the immediate blow of a deficit - it would be alien to the interests and the basic intention of the Common. Market to grant Australia, or any Commonwealth country, any permanent or large amount of protected trade.
For Labor to align itself with the Menzies Government (together with a minute section of British capitalists who still live in a sentimental dream that confuses the Commonwoalth with the British Empire) would indicate that it has no understanding of the issues involved. Since Menzies sees his hope in British and the U.S. concessions, we should see exactly what it would mean to these countries themselves if they agreed with Menzies. If the British capitalists were to maintain their present trade relations with Australia, they would not be permitted to enter the Common Market. But Britain must choose the Common Market over Australia in its interest, in every field.
Britain has a rate of growth which is much less than the Common Market countries, and is therefore producing less and selling less, In 1913 Britain's share of the world markxot was 13%, in. 1950 it was 10%, and in 1960 it was 1.8% Britain must therefore find a large market for its products immediately, or suffer a rapid decline. Britain's share of Australia's imports bill has been stoadily shrinking, and while trade with Britain looms large for Australia, Australia only buys a very small section of British exports (Britain, of course, nocds to export a great deal more than Australia because of its larger size. )
Australia's main exports to Britain are foodstuffs and metals. Most of the food that Britain nccds could be imported from the Common Markot countries and the U.S.. Theso countries, like Australia, subsidize their farmyrs, and want Britain to enter the Common: Market as a purchaser of their foodstuffs. In any trade with Britain, the Common Market countries would lean heavily on foodstuffs end some could not trade with Britain otherwise. Internal political considorat+ ions of the Common Market countries (their own farmers, ctc.) would provent those countries from admitting Britain to the Common Market should it make othor agree— ments for wheat, ctc.. The supply of metals and raw materials for basic industry in the Common Market again excludes Australia. (see below),
The members of the Common Market are all heavily industrialised Buropean countries. To carry on their industry they need a supply of raw materials. In the past most of these countrics had colonies which they bled of the materials they necded. Since the wer they have lost their colonios and find it difficult to dominate their ex-colonies cither economically, politically or militarily, in order to assure thomsclyos of raw materials at the prices they want to pays The Common Market countries acting together, and with tho United States, can dominato the world market for raw matcrials on thoir own terms, cither by depressing the market, or political pressure of outright force. The collusion of Britain, France and Belgium to safeguard thoir copper interests in Katanga draratically illustrates their intentions. Australia's high priced raw materials can find no place . in this schome.
Incapable of sustaining thoir traditional colonial systoms, Britain and the Common Market countrics seo in. union their only hope of maintaining thoir 7 traditional markets and sources of supply.
Not only in relationship to the colonial countrios, but with tho Sovict Union, Britain and the Common Market hope to havo a collective political influence which none of these countries could ever achieve individually, The aim of the Common Market is to eventually form a Capitalist United States of Burope with a cormon foriegn policy and a defence policy based on N.A.T.O.. Taking all aspee ti of the question. into consideration, wo believe that it is inevitable tha join the Common Markcot. Her entry would only complete the govers ing integration, consolidating the cartels jel tis ; established with Buropean mr ae
stralia and the Common. Market continued/ A. uld be the interference of a larger capitalist power,
In. spite of their talks with McEwen, and any talks thoy may have with McEwen, the U.S. supports overy aspect of the Common Market, economic, imperialist and political. The U.S.not only has stated as a policy that Britain should ccase granting agricultural trade preferences to the Commonwealth, it has a vested intorest in the requiremonts of its own economy directly opposed to the Commonwealth and in favour of the Common Market. McZEwon's attempts to dictate policy to the U.S., Britain and tho Common Market, is nothing short of ludicrous. It is doomed to failure. Any crunbds that Australia might get will not solve the cconemic problem created by Britain's ontry into the Common Markot. Labor must realise this and produce a concrete policy,reco;nising the Common Market for what it is. It rust immediately advocate that Australia look around for other markets, including Asia, tho Sovict Union, and China. Above all, Labor must onsure that the disruption of Australian capitalism will not be used in an attempt to lowor the standards of the workers.
Menzies! Minister for Shipping and Transport (Opperman) has already said that any increase in wagos would ruin trade prospects. (S.M. Horald, ; 28/4/62). Opperman claimed that good working conditions, long sorvice loave, . penalty rates and suporannuation were a 'burden' and a'penalty' which were interforing with trade. Labor mst opposo this nonsense, defond the workers! standards and convert this struggle into an anti-Governnont offonsive. Labor must not place itself in a position whore it has to support the Liberals in the hopoless task of begging from the Common Market in order to prevent dislocation of the economy, but rathor it mst fight for distinctive socialist objectives.
In: addition to a broad trade policy, the A.L.P. must bring forward a plan for internal economic development, based on the expansion of the vital public soctor of tho cconomy, and fight for it against capitalist confusiom Labor must fight for the nationalisation of key industrios and banks in ordor to institute a sound economy based on socialist planning, not handouts.