20 APRIL 1934, Page 2

German Factories in England The statement that eighteen German firms

-have been authorized by the German Government to open factories in England seems to have caused unnecessary uneasiness to certain Members of Parliament. Some time ago Mr. Baldwin was pointing out with satisfaction that many foreign firms are now endeavouring to secure factories for production in Great Britain. So long as our statutory regulations are properly carried out, and none but genuine -key-workers who .cannot be found here are brought in, such enterprise is to our. advantage. It obviously benefits us if Germans are willing to bring money into this country and spend it here, employing mainly British labour, and using in part at least British materials. Nor is it any ground of objection that the German Government should impose what conditions it likes on the firms to which it grants perniits, so long as these conditions do not infringe our own regulations. If the German firms can afford to pay duty on that 50 per cent. of their materials which they are required to import from Germany, that is their concern ; there remains for us the duty levied, and the sale of the other 50 per cent. of the material.