IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1926, Page 2

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

NO sham: discussion wanted. A lIIXT TO MR BALDWIN. [Australian A X.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON. Feb. 20. The newspaper, “Round Table”, discussing the ninth Imperial Conference, expresses tho following opinion : “If the Prime Ministers are dragged from the ends of the earth in order to participate in a friendly talk in Mr Baldwin’s most artless manner, the usefulness of the Imperial Conference will perish like a vermiforn appendix. The Conference must handle the real issues confronting the Empire with promptitude and decision. The first practical task is to lay down the general lines of an Imperial foreign, policy, particularly the commitments undertaken under'the Locarno Pact, and article 0, which allows the Dominions the option of signing the Pact. “The Dominions believe no worldwar is going to arise in Europe this generation; hence, the breakdown of tho theory of co-operative diplomacy which was evolved in wartime. But, the Dominions, with the partial exception of Australia, have no adequate means of finding out what is happening in the world. The Dominions still insist on living in blinkers. Tho Conference must find a method by which the Dominions can obtain the knowledge necessary for prompt judgment in a world crisis. , ,

“TVo suggest that each Dominion form a, department of external affairs and the High Commissioners should be accredited to the Forcing Office like Ambassadors. Tin's is the development of the system which Mr Bruce (l'odcral Premier) introduced. “In connection with tho economic situation, practical steps should be taken towards troer trade within the Empire. Men such as Lord lnchcape. Ford D’Abernnn and Lord Lovat should he asked to survey the situation from the standpoint of Britain, and suggest practical steps which would lead to the rapid development of Empire resources. Snell, a survey could he discussed at the October Conference, and thus pave the way for a real instead of a sham discussion.”