UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE DOMINIONS • [To the Editor of THE
SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Sinee 1914 there has been a tremendous decline in the migration from -Europe to the New World, and particularly from Britain to the Empire. I think it may be said that the root cause of this is economic. Mass unemployment, which has been current in Britain for many years, appeared in the Dominions for the first time during the economic crisis of 1929. Although there has been a considerable decrease in the last three years, the figures for September, 1936, were as follows
Australia 60,000 Canada.. 85,000 New Zealand .. 35,000
Despite the willingness of the Dominion Governments to co-operate in any scheme, the resumption of mass emigration is obviously impossible under these conditions. No natural flow of migration can exist when the migrant cannot improve his economic condition by the change of country ; -workers, employees and farmers are facing, though perhaps to a slightly
lesser degree, the same problems of unemployment and struggle for life in the Dominions as in Great Britain.
Although the total production figures of Britain are slightly above those of 1929, unemployment figures are nearly three hundred thousand higher than in that year. Today. however, a permanent number of unemployed is unfortunately regarded as inevitable. I am afraid that this, too, will have to he said of the Dominions.
Combined with the present number of unemployed. the total production figures of the Dominions are not far below the 1929 level. To absorb all unemployed and to create a demand for more labour, the industrial and agricultural pro-: duction of the Dominions will have to increase to a fantastic degree.
A fact that many refuse to see is that both the decreasing birth-rate of the Dominions and the decreased migration are due to unstable economic conditions. It is not a question of habit but of economies which has decreased the number of
births.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, NEIL. STEWART. 9 Tedworth Gardens, Chelsea, S.W.&
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