The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1928. LABOUR INTERESTS IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1928. LABOUR INTERESTS IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Though "e may be more or less immune from the reaction’s from British domestic policy, says the “Dominion,” the case is different when it comes to questions of foreign policy. There we not only have a direct interest, but some right of representation, as recorded instances testify. For this reason, the attitude of the British LabourSocialist Party on foreign questions is of interest. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, at the British Labour Party Conference, has indicated the lines of his party’s policy on certain outstanding international questions. The lour points of a two-thousand word' resolution on the subject demand, first,, a general arbitration pact; second, the abandonment of the Frando-British comprise; third, the signing of an effective disarmament treaty; fourth, the unconditional evacuation of the Rhineland. The first of these is practically a restatement of the Geneva Protocol, which Mr MacDonald fathered as Prime Minister arid Foreign Secretary during his Government’s shortlived term of office, and which the Baldwin Government declined to ' ratify. It is something to aspire to but not a matter to' be rushed before there is a public opinion strong enough to ensure its observance. The Anglo-French naval compromise is still a mystery. When its precise terms have been officially published it will then be possible to form an opinion on its merits. Until that has been done, however it is difficult to see how the British Labour Party can be in a position to say whether or not it should be abandoned. On the face of things, they may he right. But without full information it is somewhat rash to reach a final conclusion. There lias been a considerable to-do about the mystery which has been made about its real significance. The protests which have been made on that score have been well founded. But an arrangement need not necessarily be a bad one because its details have been kept secret and the method by which it was reached was not wise. Mr MacDonald’s third point, that an effective disarmament treaty should be signed,, asks for no more than the objective at present being aimed at by the Governments of the world. That objective may be reached some day, but sound progress in that direction is not likely to be accelerated by skipping the intervening steps. 111-advised short-cuts would in all probability impair the efficiency of any agreement reached. The evacuation of the Rhineland is a difficult question. There is a very strong opinion in favour of the view expressed by Mr McDonald. At the same time the basis of co-partnership upon which the Frando-British occupancy of the Rhineland was made operative makes it impossible foil complete evacuation to be contemplated except by unanimous agreement on the part of these two nations. French opinion at present is opposed- to evacuation on the ground that it would mean the abandonment of a very effective security against German .default in respect

of disarmament and reparations. The British view is that the. moral rehabilitation of Germany lias proceeded so satisfactorily up to the present that she may be safely trusted to carry out her obligations without the humiliating presence of foreign troops acting in the. role of bailiffs. It is possible that France may be induced to modify her attitude on the question. British diplomacy has already brought a good deal of persuasion to bear in that connection but it cannot go beyond the point that to give effect to. evacuation French' consent is necessary. The British attitude on the question is, therefore a moral one, while that of France is based on legal argument. It would be interesting to learn how Mr MacDonald would navigate that difficulty without falling foul of his neighbour.