IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1930, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

FOREIGN POLICY DISCUSSED

l United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, November 11

The Prime Ministers, Mr AlcGilligan and heads of delegations met privately at- Downing Street -this morning to discuss the foreign policy. Mr Henderson, at the opening of the Imperial Conference, circulated a memorandum on the foreign policy, accompanied by a suggestion that if any of the delegations wished further information that he would place it oil the agenda. The spokesman declared no requests came in, but the United Kingdom Government desired such a discussion beginning possibly to-day.

Asked if the Dominions in view of their direct interest in Indian questipns would he represented by observers at the Round Table Conference, the highest authority replied in the negative, explaining that the British, Government represented the Dominions.

The discussion will probably be partly private and not recorded. Where a record is kept it will be available to liason officers, DOMINION DISAPPOINTMENT. LONDON, November 11. The Dominion delegates to the Imperial Conference are understood to be most disappointed that after nearly bis weeks’ deliberations, the British Government has not said a simple “yea” or “nay” to either tho preferences or the quota. The outlook is bo gloomy that there is the expectation that to-morrow the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Bennett, will take over the reins from his deputy and will plainly tell the members of the British Cabinet that the whole thing savours of a gross deception. An Australian, summing up, says: Mr MacDonald will probably announce that the existing preferences will be maintained for two or three years. If this concession is gained, it will be the only economic result of the conference, because all of the other ideas of import boards, bulk purchases, and an Economic Secretariat have been jettisoned. The tense comment of one of the leading Dominion lepresentntives is worth quoting. He says: “We have been allowed to amuse ourselves for three weeks, exploring economic cul de sacs. Jt is all very disappointing, and leaves a nasty taste ,in the mouth.”

Regarding the meeting of Rt. Hon. A. Henderson British Foreign Secretary) and the Prime Ministers on the subject of foreign policy, the fact that the officials were not aware of this meeting has provoked comment, and particularly tho absence of Sir Robert Vanslttart, the Permanent Uuder-Secretary of the Foreign Office. This is veiy unusual when the British Foreign Secretary makes any important statement. Many of the papers are asking whether the MacDonald Government is anxious to avoid a general foreign policy discussion with the Dominons, and the papers recall that Lord Grey, Lord Curzon and Sir Austen CTiamberlain, at the various Imperial Conferences they attended, made .foreign policy one of the major and earliest questions, and initiated the fullest and frankest discussion thereon. (.'Received this day at 1.5 p.rn.) LONDON, November 12. For the first time in the present conference-, the heads of the delegations adjourned for afternoon tea evidently to allow their frayed nerves to regain composure after the long drawn battle over economic issues especially preference quotas. Though Mr Snowden grimly resists any idea of food taxes there is a feeling he may tomorrow recede from the rigid negative to'the retention of existing pre-

ferenees, though it is doubtful if it

would 1 retract a definite commons statement that lie had the repeal of them at the first opportunity. On the t contrary it is suggested escape may he found by the relegation of both economic questions to a special economic conference in 1931, the place of which is not indicated though Ottawa is mentioned. IVlr Snowden

protested the Dominion delegates got a flying start with the broadcast of their speeches stressing importance of preferences before Britain had time or opportunity to examine the questions.

A retort was made that is strange in the closing hours of the Conference that Britain was still unable to make up her lhnid to settle the issue one way or the other. Though a communique mentions approval of the reports on constitutional matters, it is understood an agreement was only h reached by expunging all mention of difficult controversial points, for example there is reason to believe that the Irish Free State is dissatisfied, with going to The Hague but Britain, under the Optional Clause reservations, will decline to go and tell Ireland to take the matter to an Empire Tribunal, to which it is expected Ireland will give a curt negative. So how the tangle will be unravelled nobody knows.