IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1923, Page 2

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CADLE ASSOCIATION. LEAGUE OF NATIONS’ WORK. EMPIRE PREMIERS’ SOUND PRAISES. LONDON, October 11. The Dominion Premiers’ general >-upport of the League of Nations is shown in passages from their speeches at. the Imperial Conference, which are now issued. They mainly are expressions of sympathy with the League’s objects, and of appreciation of Loid Robert Cecil's endeavours. Lord Co< il reviewed the work of the league, and claimed that it had achieved an immense amount of most valuable international co-operation, with very great success, at wonderfully little expense. Dealing with the Italo-Groek dispute. Lord Cecil contended that the League had carried out its duty of promoting a settlement. Its suggestions for a settlement were very valuable and quite sound, but as Italy and Greece had agreed to settle the dispute otherwise than by a resort to the Council, it was the duty of the Council to do everything that it could do to facilitate a settlement by those means.

lie said the British Empire’s foreign policy was to keep peace. The league was an instrument of that purpose incomparably more effective than anything before in existence. They ought to do their utmost to strengthen the League and make it more the cornerstone of tlieir policy. Mr Bruce (Australia) said that Australia waxi lrehiud the .league, and would take any action it could to promote the league’s authority. and make it as great as possible. “If the league goes,’’ he declared, “there will Po no hope of establishing anything of the sort until they have been through another world tragedy a hundred-fold worse than that which the present generation has seen.’’

Mr -Massey said he thought that too much had been expected from the league. He had never thought the league would prevent war. It was initiated to promote peace by arbitration and conciliation and public opinion. He believed that the lcagn e had done a great deal of good. General Smuts said that he was imforined that the moral stock of the British Empire was very high in Geneva, where the most remarkable thing was the confidence, faith and reliance which the representatives of all the small peoples of the world had manifested in the British Empire’s stand for justice, fair play, and international honesty. General Smuts strongly urged tlie Empire’s Governments to keep their hands clean, support the league and support, the smaller powers where their interests clashed with the large powers. The league ideal seemed Urn only hope of the world against the unrest and break up of Europe. Therefore if there- was any practical force likely to keep the nations together, and to offer protection against the complete reaction and brigandage, u hic.-fc seemed now to be setting in. let them exploit it fully. BRITAIN’ AND ALLIES. LONDON, October 13. The Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says: “'I hero is a possibility of a further discussion by the Imperial Conference over the Jumna mid Corfu incidents, when ji formal resolution. relating to the League of Nations may h c passed. Lord Curzon in a, recent speech, gave an unvarnished account of intrigues as leading up to and as subsequent to those incidents.” “I gather that Lord Curzon suggested that he was far from satisfied with the course pursued by the Allies during certain phases of the negotiations. Mr Mackenzie King (Canada) who appeared at first to adopt a somewhat aloof policy towards European problems, now feels as strongly as his colleagues about the league’s work, and the chief foreign issues before the conference. FREEDOM OF LONDON. LONDON, Oct. 12. With time-honoured ceremonial, the Premiers, Messrs Baldwin, MacKonzic, King, and Bruce were presented with the freedom of the City oi London in the historic Guildhall, which was thronged with distinguished people, including the Duke and Duchess of York, Lord Salisbury, Lord Devonshire, Lord Derby and practically the entire Cabinet, the majority of the members and advisers of both the Imperial and Ecunomie Conferences, and many Dominions visitors.

In responding to the presentation, Mr Baldwin said he regarded it as a good omen that he and iiis colleagues stood on that platform. All three of them were inexperienced, but inexperience gave men the faith to take the risks which must he taken in these days.

deferring to the unemployment in Britain, Mr Baldwin declared that this moment, when if. must take years for their old markets to recover, vaa moment lor the old world to call in the new world to develop a iairor inheritance than either yet had enjoyed. "I am convinced that, with the enthusiasm and ability of the members of the (.(inferences,” lie said, “some solution will bo found tor the grave problems besetting us, and that the Imperial Conference will not rise front its labours before accomplishing something to the permanent good of outown peoples, and of mankind generallv.”

Mr MaeKousde-King, Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada, emphasised tie paint that the freedom of London was linked, by an unbroken tradition, with the freedom of the British nations as expressed hv the Imperial Conferences.

Mr Bruce, Australian Premier, was accorded a remarkable ovation. TTe recalled tile intimate relation between London and the overseas Dominions throughout history.

MB BALDWIN ON MARKETS. LONDON, Oct. 12 Ift. Hon. Mr Baldwin, Prime Minister. responding to his health at a luncheon to the New h'reemcn of London, recalled with pride the -financial stability of the city of London in war time, pointing out. however, lhat its position could only he maintained if a large industrial population in the country had work. While oilier countries had also suffered a derangement of their markets. Britain, owing to (he circumstances of the case, had suffered most. The time bad not come for him to enter into the details ns to what he believed it possible to do to provide that in future years Britain would not suffer as she is now suffering. He urged the necessity of pushing oil the development of the Empire with the utmost celerity and ardour. He was confident that, in that direction alone lay the hope of the future for Britain and her crowded masses of population MB BRUCE’S PANACEA. LONDON, Oct. 12. Mr Bruce, in responding at the Mansion House luncheon, said that Britain’s position in the world had been based on her Empire’s trade, hut she could mot continue to be heard in the counsels of the world and maintain her prominent position in the world, or

continue to wield her influence over other nations by her foreign policy, unless she could maintain her trade position, which depended on the solution of the problems which the Economic Conference was now considering. That was why lie classed the Economic Conference as being more important than the Imperial Conference. Ho believed a solution of the present problems would be found. The Empire's position seemed imperilled, but the British people had faced such situations before, and they would face them again. Problems had been solved in the past and would he solved to-day. The solution lay in the will and courage of the people.” There never was a time,” ho said, “when we should be more proud of our race than a?ter the war. through which we have conic. We have as fine a generation as the Empire lias ever been before the war, many people wondered whether the Dominions would be prepared to stand ini for the Empire in the hour of need. The war supplied the answer to that question, and it showed the Empire had people who could face any situation with courage; but, to achieve, great tilings, we must have leadership. It is to the men of responsibility that London must look for help for leadership and assistance.” They had also to attempt, lie said, to find markets for their produce. It sounded the simplest thing, but it was difficult beyond words. If the Economic Conference could find a way out of that problem, it would ensure the welfare of the Empire for all time. He believed that such a solution of tie? market problem, benefiting both tain and the Dominions, would givo Britain a commercial position unrivalled bv any nation on the face of the earth. That was the great problem the Economic Conference was trying to solve in London. The Empire was in ns great a danger now as it was during the war. The luncheon was a brilliant gathering, over three thousand guests being present. LONDON, Oct. 13. The Australian Premier, Mr Bruce, in an interview, said, in reply to a suggestion that he had raised a lioru---ct’s nest in free-trade England, that “Ho supposed he had, but that could not be helped.” He said that perhaps ii was a had tiling that there should be a stirring up. The very essence of the Conference was that the delegates should fdeely express their sentimeitts in regard to matters of Empire interest. He declined to comment' on some apparently inspired newspaper paragraphs stating that the Dominion representatives wore assured that, beyond minor adjustments, there was no hope of Britain extending her tariff preference to the Dominions,"For that she would dent with other commodities than those already agreed upon.

MR MASSEY’S APPREHENSION. LONDON, Oct. 13. lU. II on. \V. F. Massey expressed himself on the question of the extent of Britain’s preference proposals. On this point, 110 said, he was not ovev sanguine that preference on other products than the ones already mentioned won Id be conceded. AM ERI CAN NEWSPAPER. OPINION. (Deceived this day at 8 a.iu.) NEW YORK. Oct. 13. The •'Journal of Commerce” in an editorial by L. Adair, says that there is already abundant indication that Imperial preference will not be universally acceptable to the various varied inter- *** ests existing within the Empire. It may not be the disposition of British Labour at. this particular moment to make an outcry about the establishment of preferences, but Labour is not likely t.o remain silent long if the cost of living goes up. The newspaper apologises, in view of. / the high American tariff, for quarreling with other nations’ tariffs, but states that the trade relationships between Britain and the United States are 110 small significance to the latter country and it concludes:—“Neither Britain nor the United States can well afford warfare of the kind which now threatens. Preference may help the Dominions slightly, if at all, but the case calls for a more broader type of statesmanship than is now being given it.”