CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1921, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

Imperial Conference LLOYD GEORGE’S SPEECH. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, June 20. At tlie opening of the Conference, Mr Lloyd George said: “I bid you all a hearty welcome to Great Britain and Downing Street. Since last meeting some notable gaps have occurred in the British Empire delegation. Sir R. BU8J: den has laid down the cares of office. By General Botha’s death the Empire sustained a heavy loss. Messrs Hughes and Massey are old friends, and we three enjoy the unenviable distinction of being the only Prime Ministers who took any part in the war. I also extend a cordial greeting to MM. C'utih and Sastri, representatives of the Indian Empire. This Conference is at a time of great stress in England, and trouble in many parts of the world. It is inevitable that the nations.which put forth colossal efforts and sustained unparalleled- losses in life, limb and treasure during the war, should feel the consequences of over-strain and exhaustion, due to the conditions in which the nations of the world have been left by the war. Never did statesmanship demand more patience and wisdom. Tlie distress amongst' the population was much greater after the Napoleonic wars than at the present, for despite unemployment and labour unrest, there is no actual privation amongst the population. War has produced conditions from which it will take years to recover.”

Lloyd George at the Imperial Conference continued: “In spite of a good deal that is discouraging, I am confident the world is slowly working through its troubles. Gradually the world is passing through the usual experience of first denying tlie existence" of palpable realities, and then settling down to act upon them. A distinctly encouraging feature in the international situation is the fact that there is increasing impatience with those who seek to keep the world in a state of turmoil and tension. There is a deepening conviction that- the world must have peace if it is ever to recover health. Some of the most troublesome and most menacing problems of peace have cither been settled or are in a fair way to settlement. Two questions gave great anxiety. One was the disarmament of Germany. The other was that of reparation. Re the disarmament of Germany this object may be stated to be settled. The-problem of the German fleet had disappeared. So * had the Austrian and German armies .disappeared as great powerful forces. They had numbered millions. Now they numbered little more than 100,000. They bad had 10,000 guns. Now they had only a few hundred. They had had an enormous number of machine guns and trench mortars, but those have gone. They had had millions of rifles. The Germans had surrendered 30,000,000 rounds of big ammunition. It was not so much Prussia that was giving the trouble now as Bavaria. • He”went on: That difficulty will, 1 think, be overcome in a- very short time. The problem of disarmament, which is vital, because, so long as Germany bad a big army there guarantee of peace, will disappear. None knew better than Mr Hughes the practical - difficulties surrounding the problem of reparation. The question was: “How von are to transfer payment from one country and make it in another ? As Mr Hughes knew that problem had baffled all financial experts in Paris, and only after two years had they hit upon an expedient which seemed to have given satiesfaction to all moderate and practical men in European countries. That seemed the view of the Dominions. They had a direct concern in it. Germany had accepted a very practical plan of liquidating her liabilities. France and Italy had accepted and public opinion in England also bad accepted it. The two remaining difficulties were, firstly, the fixation of the boundaries of Poland and partly of Lithuania and now Silesia ; and secondly, the making of peace with Turkey. The first essential to peace and reconstruction was that they stand by their treaties. Some grew weary of these great responsibilities and spoke as though it were possible to renounce them”without injustice to other peoples or detriment to themselves. He went on—l venture to say much arguments are as shortsighted as they are false. The nations and peoples of the world realise their inter-depend-ence in a measure greater than ever before the war. The League of Na-. tions stands as a- witness of their realisation of this truth. No progress can be made towards the rehabilitation of Europe, or the permanent peace of the world except upon the basis of the acceptance and enforcement of treaties. There may be relations here and there following upon the discovery of new conditions, with the consent of all the parties. The treaties must stand. No signatory should have a right to override any part of a treaty to which all are parties.

(Received this dayjat 8 a.m.) LONDON, June 21

, Hon. Lloyd George continued—The Empire is bound by honour and interest alike to the treaties which'it signed. Unless the treaty faith ia maintained, an era of disorganisation increasing misery and smouldering war will he destroyed by a prolongation of that state of things. Lord Curzon on his return will give a survey of foreign affairs. I will not anticipate his statement but should like to refer to the relations of the Empire with United States and Japan. There is no quarter of the world where we desire _ more greatly to maintain peace and fair play for all nations, and to avoid competition in armements than in the Pacific, and the Far 'East. Our alliance with Japan has been a valuable factor in the past. We have found Japan a faithful ally, who rendered us valuable assistance in an hour of serious critical need. The Empire will not easily forget that a Japanese man of war escorted the transports bringing Australian and New Zealand forces to Europe, at a time when German cruisers were still in the Indian and Pacific oceans. We desire to preserve that well tried friendship and to apply it to a solution of all qustions in th Far Fast where Japan has special interests and where we otirfcelves. like .United States, ’desire equal opportunities and an open door.