DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1881, 15 October 1913, Page 8

DEFENCE.

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE NEEDED.

AUSTRALIA'S VIEWS.

It may safoly be assumed that tho last lias not boon heard of tho proposed Imperial Defence Conference. According to tho "Sydney Morning Herald," the Commonwealth Government is committed to tho policyof holding tho conference too deeply to permit tho matter to drop without making further efforts to bring it about. It may bo desirable, therefore, to set out broadly the reasons which havo prompted both Mr. Fisher's Government and tlio present Ministry to advocate the conference. In tho first place, howover, one objection which apparently lias been taken to the holding of the conference at this ji'iioturo may be dealt with. It is contended, remarks our contemporary, that the instability of political conditions in both the United Kingdom and all the Dominions is such that a conference in tho near future would bo impracticable, and that Ministers could not be spared from their, respective countries. Tho reply that may be mado to this objection is that tho 'political situation in Australia, and, indeed, in all parts of tho Empire, is not more unstable now than it has been for some time, or is likely to bo in the near future. Tho Imperial Conference of 1911 synchronised with the rejection of the first referendum proposals of the Fisher Government m Australia, and with the momentous crisis concerning the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. These matters, it is urged, are of domestic importance only, and do not affect the largo Imperial questions which would be debated at an Imperial Defence Conference. Serious Imperial constitutional questions would arise if each Government in office for the time being were not treated as possessing the right to speak on behalf of the country which it governs. In any caso, whatever tho political future may bring forth, the Govornment is in a very different position immediately after a general election than immediately before the election.

The Pacific Problem. Tko main problem which the statesmen of the Umpire have to face ill the matter of naval defence outside Europe is the protection of Imperial interests in the great Pacific Ocean, which washes tjio shores of three of the Dominions. Xiiero sro fit leusfc two foreign Powers who are intimately interested in the solution of tlie problem—Japan and the United States. In the one case the agreement with Great Britain will expire a few years hence. In the other, .the opening of the Panama Canal and tho transference of a portion of the United States Navy from the Atlantic to tho Pacific is a factor which will altor the present relative strategic position very considerably. Since the last Imperial Defence Conference' in 1809, the wholo international position has changed and tho problems associated with the Pacific have naturally altered- in relation to.tho world-wiuo situation. The time has therefore como when the statesmen of tho Empire should discuss this altered situation, and that tho representatives of tho Dominions should in particular receive from tho Imperial Government and the high authorities who advise them in tliese matters, their considered view as to the needs from tho Empire point of view of the defence of tho Pacific Ocean and the guardianship of Imperial interests in the southern seas. It is impossible to shape policies which shall bear an adequate relationship to the needs of the caso unless the wholo position is laid bare and each portion of tlie Empire can then determine (and communicate its proposals to the rost of tho Empire) how far it is able to go in making provision for the requirements. The 1909 Agreement, The yiow which has been taken in Australia is that it is not courteous to tho Commonwealth, nor is it desirable in the interests of Imperial defence, that the Imperial Government should delay longer, first, in stating categorically whether it purposes to carry out its obligations under tho agreement arrived at in 1909; and, if not, in informing the Government what, if anything, it proposes to put in its place. Tho Federal Ministry is in the dark in all these matters. It not only, does not know tho mind of the Imperial authorities with regard to the needs of tho Pacific generally, but also it does not know what provision is to be made by vessels of tho Royal Navy in protecting British possessions in Pacific waters. Tlie 1909 agreement provided that- "the Australian fleet unit slia'l form part of the Eastern fleet of tho Empiro, to be composed of similar units of the Royal Navy, and to bo known ai the China and tho East Indies units respectively, and the Australian unit.'' The Australian fleet exists, but tho others do not. Tho Commonwealth is entitled to an' explanation (which will no doubt bo satisfactory) of the abandonment of tho China and East Indies units, but it has also tho right to demand by what, if anything, they are to bo replaced. Inter-Dominion Conference. One possible* result of the present decision is that an attempt will, bo mado to secure a conference between tho Dominions specially interested in tho Pacific in order that some considered policy may bo laid down for future co-operation. This aspect of the problem appears to havo escaped tho attention of tho Imporial authorities, but it is believed that if such a conference were arranged the Imperial Government would seek to be represented. At all events this is a possible outcome of the present position'. But it is clear that a conference in London under tho auspices of the Imporial Government is essential if really satisfactory results aro to bo obtained. The Governments of Sir Wilfrid Laurier in Canada, Sir Joseph Ward in New Zealand, and Mr. Fisher in Australia aro not now in office in their respective Dominions; and although several members of Mr. Borden's Cabinet and Mr. James Allen, the Minister of Defence in New Zealand, have had opportunities of conferring with the Imporial authorities with regard to domestic defence matters, they would do so under entirely different circumstances when tho wido questions of inter-Imperial cooperation in naval defence aro debated. Of course none of tho present Australian Ministers have had advantago of, conforenco with the Imperial Government, and there lias been no opportunity of discussion between tho various Dominion Ministers. One other point, adds our contemporary, mav be mentioned. It was suggested at tlio 1911 conference that subsidiary conferences on_ special matters should bo held from time to time. If no conference is to bo held next year this suggestion would have been completely abortive in tho interval between the Imperial Conferences of 1911 and 1915.