In the Melting Pot

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 697, 24 June 1929, Page 9

In the Melting Pot

BRITAIN’S FOREIGN POLICY Big Problems Rise Together NAVIES, DEBTS, RHINELAND. RUSSIA British Official ll'fa-eieas Received 11 a.m. RUGBY, Sunday. THE “Observer” today calls attention to the fact that, “partly by coincidence and partly by new Government activity, it happens that all the major issues, without exception, of British foreign policy have become matters of immediate and simultaneous concern—namely, naval restriction, reparations, inter-Allied debts, the Rhineland, Russia and the optional clause of the World Court.”

Not all of these subjects are likely to be given a place in the King's speech, observed the paper, but all are now exercising the minds of Mr. MacDonald, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Snowden. It is understood that the Cabinet has decided to take no Immediate action in regard to the British troops in the Rhineland. It takes the view that the question of the withdrawal of the troops ought to be part of a general agreement which is expected to result from the recent reparation conference. REPARATION PLAN Germany’s acceptance of the reparation plan as the basis for a conference was formally announced by Dr. HUferding, Minister of Finance, in the Reichstag. Dr. Stresemann was absent owing to an attack of arterial cramp in the legs. Dr. Hilferding said he expected there would be a conference to liquidate all the outstanding questions relating to the Great War, but the German Government reserved full liberty as regards its deliberations. CONFERENCE AT LONDON? The “Sunday Times” anticipates immediate results to follow the signature of the report of the committee of reparation experts. It says discussions are already entered into between the Governments concerned on the subject of time and place of the meeting of their representatives to consider the report and the question of Rhineland evacuation. It is anticipated that London will be chosen as the meeting place for the proposed discussions between the representatives of the Governments. NAVAL REDUCTION The announcement that Mr. Hugh Gibson, who represented the United States interests at the three-Power Naval Conference, is leaving Washington for London this week, and will consult with Mr. C. G. Dawes, the new American Ambassador here, is taken as denoting a further step in the naval reduction discussions, and the “Observer” regards It as likely that more definite and realistic information

about the different “yardsticks” for gauging naval strenth may be heard in the next few weeks. The First Lord of the Admiralty. Mr. A. V. Alexander, in a speech at Burnley, said that without entering into details as to the Government’s policy in regard to armed forces, he could say it wanted peace with security. it hoped to attain security through good fellowship and mutual understanding, also through the substitution of peaceful arbitration for unholy conflict and bloodshed. QUEST FOR YARD-STICK NAVAL EXPERTS TO HAVE FIRST PARLEY COMMON FORMULA SOUGHT (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) NEW YORK, Saturday. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says the Government has received word that the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, will not visit the President, Mr. Hoover, for a considerable time, possibly not until next year. The particular time of the visit will be determined after some definite step has been taken toward a reduction of naval armaments by the nations concerned. Such a step would furnish a concrete basis for practical discussion between the Prime Minister and the President. The next step, it is learned, will be a discussion between naval experts representing the United States, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, with a view to arriving at a common formula for measuring the factors which enter into the offensive ability of warships by thq so-called “yard stick.” “FREEDOM OF THE SEA” The feeling in Washington is that Mr. MacDonald has not abandoned his desire to bring about some adjustment of that nebulous question contained in the term “freedom of the seas.” However, it is understood that his opinion is that the freedom of the seas can best be obtained through the elimination of the dangers of international war. That conception may be idealistic, but there seems no doubt, on present information, that exchanges of views are proceeding with that idealistic purpose in view. AMBASSADOR’S SPEECH It was intimated in Government circles today Mr. Dawes’s recent address was not only seen by Mr. MacDonald before the Ambassador delivered it, but also it was submitted to the French and Japanese Ambassadors, the Italian Charge d’Affaires and the Canadian High Commissioner in London. This was done as a matter of ordinary diplomatic courtesy and to demonstrate that Britain, and the United States do not propose to work out any secret arrangements. Mr. William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, has invited Mr. MacDonald to be the guest at a testimonial dinner to be given by the federation when the British Prime Minister visits the United States.