On the issue of trade , Australian prime minister Stanley Bruce lobbied Convincing hard and consistently for the Conservative government of Stanley Baldwin to make Change changes Change to Great Britain 's trading arrangements Arranging to give preference Choosing to Dominion products over imports from elsewhere .

Bruce argued Protest for Empire-wide economic trading arrangements Arranging that would see domestic demands Request filled Filling by production Creating from member states before seeking supplemental imports from other countries and empires .

During the Wars Hostile_encounter , a central part of British strategy was to isolate French ports from international trade in an attempt to both restrict Hindering French imports of food and military supplies Supply and simultaneously to damage Damaging the French economy .

The German Empire relied on imports for food and domestic food production ( especially fertilizer ) and the United Kingdom relied heavily on imports to feed its population , and both required raw materials to supply their war industry ; the powers aimed Aiming , therefore , to blockade one another .

The German Empire relied on imports for food and domestic food production ( especially fertilizer ) and the United Kingdom relied heavily on imports to feed its population , and both required raw materials to supply their war industry ; the powers aimed Aiming , therefore , to blockade one another .

Japan 's ongoing industrialization and militarization ensured Preventing_or_letting their growing Expansion dependence on oil and metal imports from the US .