COMMON EMPIRE FOREIGN POLICY

Chronicle (Levin), 28 March 1947, Page 7

COMMON EMPIRE FOREIGN POLICY

(Special Correspondent.)

NEW ZEALANDER CREDITED WITH GIVING WISE LEAD • \ 4 '■ •

Received Thursday, i.iu p.m. LONDON, March 27. "A wise lead from New Zealand," Ls the comnient made 'by the Evening News on au artiele. it.. pubiished by Major General. Sir-- Aadrew Russell, in which he states that a freely agreed and single British Empire foreign' policy is wanted aiid c'an be one of the main agents of world stability,Major General Russell says that n settled foreign policy; is not easy to achieve for a group of widely dispersed peoples. Doiiiestic "issuaa. .often com; mand more attentiou within the individual' countries and' sometimes ,the.y even conflict with ,'th'e igfefieral interests to be served in the- field of foreign alfairs. But the objeet of both foreign policy aiid defence is seeurity from-, lirstly, actual armed aggression; second.ly, interferences, howo'ver implemented^ witli the way of life/ that is, th'e social and political patter'u 'of any of the constituent members thirdly, economic pressure from external countries or organisations. " As a postulate it is assiimed that no oue constituent member is in a position, unaided, to achieve this seeurity on all counts," he said. 4A settled foreign policy for the whole Commonwealth speaking with one voice, is- wanted. Empires rise only to fall if they fail to ada.pt themselves to changing conditions. Either members , of the Commonwealth drift apart — thc Canadian Citizenship Bill is a straw showing the way the wind blows — or the Commonwealth closes its ranks by voluntary agreement, agreeing to jettison part of its sovoreignty to save thc rest," Major-General Russell adds. Two world wars showed Jhat thougli mueh ean be aehieved by an Empire whose members work together, gravc faults were disclosed. No adequate pxeparation was made by the Empire as a whole in faee *.of the rapidl.v deteriorating world • position, por did any power exist to make instant decisious and take immediatCs action to ineet urgent situations. On the economic side Major-Generai Russell suggests that it would be well if tiie Commonwealth liad a commou policy on quest.ions like imperial preference and Brettov Woods. British genius in the past, he says, had shown itself equal to meeting , a change. fhough the Einpire lost first place ii material wealth and physical resources tlie moral leadership of western civilisation may yet be hers if the need fo." a moral background in all activities is Faithfullv observed. . 1 The evening News,, referring to thc Russian application of ,the veto rcgarding'Albania, says tliis latest of a disillusioning successon; of happenings in the sphere of inteimational negotiations, lends special weight to Maj.orGeneral Russell ;s arguments.