Turning to the work of the Imperial Conference, Mr. MacDonald
said that the resolutions of the Conference would be placed before the House. The Government would indicate their views regarding each, but they would leave it to the House to decide. This, we may remark, though it looks a little weak, may perhaps contain some wisdom. If the proposed Imperial Preferences are defeated, the Dominion Governments at all events will 2,43 not feel that they have been designedly thwarted by a Labour Government. For our part, strong Free Traders though we are, we hope on the whole that the proposed Preferences will be accepted. After all, they touch only a fringe of the fiscal question, and though they should cost this country something, the price of satisfying the sentiment of the Dominions might well be worth paying. It would not be surprising if some supporters of the Government took this view.
