IMPERIAL PRESS CONGRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 113, 10 June 1909, Page 2

IMPERIAL PRESS CONGRESS

"THE XAVY ABOVE PARTY." ! London, June 8. Tlie conference discussed the <jueslion of the Pross ami the Xavy. The Hon. I?. Ak'Kcnua, Firdt Lord of the Admiralty, who prosified, urged placing tin l Xavy above party and making it an rinpori'fll question. In the sense of partnership the Xavy wan common to all.

Sir E(h\\ird (Irey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. dismal the functions of the Press, and naid criticism should not be of a ]>a rtj.s-an nature. Tiie newspaper in war tinie whould bow to patmti.sm iby silence upon many things lilwy knew.

Lord Cromer urged a stricter control of the vernacular Press in war time. M,r. F. W. Ward, editor of the Sydney DaiJy Telegraph, made a notable f*peoeh. Other 'speaker* were the Hon. A. Lyttolton, Mr. S. L (Iwynn, M.P., Mr. Maitland Park (chief editor of the Cape Times), Mr. L. C. M. S. Amery (of The Times staff), and Mr, Bauergee.

'LORD UOSEIiERY'S SPEECH CRTITCISEi). London, .June 8. The German newspapers contain bitter comments on Lord Hosebery's speech. Kvt'j) the libni'al organ V<)hsiseJio Zeitung tin 1 British nation as the 'victim an ovcr-ilwated imagination and hallucination of persecution. Ike Xcw York Time*, commenting on Lord Robbery, declares that 110 mun could do .so much sis the KaUer to quirttcn the apprehensions of war. The Morning Post suggests that a* Mr. A.sijuith has declared his roadiijes's to limit armaments (if assured lie would not bo rebuffed), the Ivairser would show Jiiiuisclf a great statesman if lie gave Mr. As(|iiith a cordial hearing. Xo Australian comments on Lord RiOHCbery's speech have yet reached London,

DIFFICULTIES OK EMPI'RI'

WHOLE EMPIRE'S STRENGTH REQUIRED. , A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY. Received June !), ] 0.20 p.m. London, June !). 111'. Reginald McKcnna (first Lol'd of tin- Admiralty), presiding at the Imperial Press Conference, said difficulties were growing that might require the whole Empire's strength. So long as they could keep the highways open t'le difficulties of mutual defence would he lossened. Naval defence, in its Imperial aspect, covered the globe. "We have, lie. said, " no less a responsibility in on s part of the Empire than hi another, i'he development of the naval idea should | conic from the dominions. England cannot force strategic ideas upon the dominions." If, he continued, any asked the Admiralty's views they would be ready with the answer; hut the dominions would have their own views and methods, and lessons taught by others would not have the same effect as those learnt by themselves. The main ■problem of defence was the same for all. The maintenance of the supremacy of tiie sea means the maintenance of the supremacy of all the seas. Mr. '.Uciieuna urged that the navy be above party. He hoped that wliwi the time came the l'ress would sacrifice its professional interests regarding secrets necessary in warfare.

EMPIRE'S FOREIGN POLICY. AN ILLUMINATING DESCRIPTION. WEIGHTY WORDS OK Silt EDWARD GREY. LOIU) ROSEBERY'S WORDS ENDORSED. Received June 9, 10.20 p.m. London, June 9. Sir Edward Grey (Minister for Foreign Allium) opened with the following description of the country's foreign policy: "Keep what we have; consolidate and develop it; quarrel as little as possible with .people; uphold in the world's councils and diplomacy the ideals that England values." Among the characteristics of the Empire was the sense of justice, this being dominated by a hatred of pretence and a frank recognition that all settlements must be by natural compromise. lie deprecated the idea ot the Home Government being prone to make a-compromise where the colonies' interests were affected, A compromise was essential to every great Empire. If they exacted tile extreme need of every base the British Empire would become impossible, Nevertheless, thev must keep what they had, but be moderate in enforcing other claims. '

Sir Edward referred by way of emphasis to the serious tone of Lord Hosebery's mention of armaments at the ■proceeding* on Saturday evening—nis description of the state of Europe, with its surface calni in spite of it?) overpowering .preparation for war, and his statement:

Jiritain is determined to spend, if need be, the last shilling on Dreadnoughts. 1 am not sure that even that would be enough. Possibly our duty is to carry the dominions a messagv that the same personal duty and respoasilnlity for defence rests on every citizen. Pressure Is being put on ibis little Knglaud to defend itself, its liberties, and yours. Take this message also back: The Old Country is right at heart. There is no tailing or weakness in her. She rejoices in renewing her youth in her giant, Dominions beyond the seas, i'or her own salvation she must look to herself, and. that failrag, sin- will look to you. Sir Jidward Grey remarked; "J endorse every word that Lord Rosebery said." lie added: "We are in comparatively cahu weathvr now, but this excessive expenditure on armaments makes the weather sultry. The. seriousness of the question cannot be overstated, e have too much at stake to permit the Navy to fall behind. Whatever the burden you have shown how great are our resources. \\\> are all travelling towards the idea of uuion 'of allies, lie urged that it should be our endeavor to uphold the great qualities of national character, and labor to make the government lionest ♦and the Empire lion-1 orablc.'

AUSTRALIA'S SECUKITY. POSSIBLE ONLY I»Y IiIUTALVS XAA'AL SUPREMACY. COLOMES' REAI)IXKSS TO SEIU'E THE EMPIRE. A STICKING SPEECH. lvcceived -luue 10.-l.'i p.m. • London, June 1). Mr. F. W. Ward (editor of the Sydney Telegraph) said it was a Hash of genius which inspired the idea of tliis conference, which was destined to, have a benelicial intlueuce throughout the Empire. There was no question so important to the Empire as naval defence, 'the history of Australia showed the value of Britain's command of the sea. Doubtless her geographical position had something to do with Australia's security during the past hundred years, hut the Ail-, yauces of modem science were annihilating distances and brought Australia dis- 1 linetly within ihe danger zone. Australia. \yith a small population, was a great empty continent, which would be j a whole empire to some nations, and oll'ered a terrible temptation. When j there was danger on the seas Australians would be right ip It, It was a matter of life n\id death to them. It ; was 'not >.\ question of some possible yaid m Australia's shores, but of keeping open the trade routes. "Take these awav," he continued, "and von destroy British supremacy on the sea** and what advantage would it by .*;f» Australians to shear her sheen Or guard her goldV' Referring to the great naval debate ill thii House of Common*, particulars of which were he stated that Mr. McKemm's and Mr. Asijuiths speeches (ell like lire on tinder. Thev added enormously to a realisation of Ihe position wherei.i Australia stood. The otl'ev of the Dreadnought was a natural seone). Air. MeKenna lu.t lluit <m.v stated the Admiralty was ready with its answer and could j»iyo rt if asked regarding the best for the common defence of the Efnpire. lie trusted the Australian representatives at the .July Imperial Conference would ask it v '{Applause.) What, he asked, would be the use of Australia providing cruisers if tho Imperial must go on protecting -Vcw Zealand, which was still further away, and Fiji, in which neighbourhood were French and Orinan posses-1 sions'/ The duty of every one of tire! outlying portions of the Empire was to >w<4st in nnnntainin'r the luprnnwv of Mia Seas, Ho agreed with Mr. Hugit Grahain's incidental remark on Svturd|y

CABLENEWS (Bj Cable.—Vress Association.—Cooy right, i

night that the Imperial Uuvernmeni hax! Deen u little 100 indulgent lu tile coJonies in this matter. Mr. Ward added: "We mv quite will-' ing to lake tin- opinion oj the Motiierliiud's responsible naval authorities regarding wn.it is the i»esi policy, lor we want to dn our best and dn our fair share in carrying it out," i Cheer*.) U)lll) CIU)MEH'fS SI'KKtU

f 11K INDIAN PRLSS. COLONIAL CONTKIIU'TIUXS TO Tllh N AW. THE FORM THEY AIiUHT TAK.K Received June 10, 12.50 a.m.

London, -Mine 0. Lord Cromer, in a short .speech, said lie was convinced of the unwisdom of encouraging vernacular pressmen to undertake political martyrdom, remembering that their sufferings were 'not acute. He hoped that some of the Indian delegates would tell the Conference whether there was any connection bvtwee i the wild writings of certain vernacular newspapers and the. commission of the outrages which had shucked tiie moral sense of the country. Referring to the necessity of editors firmly handling; diifieult situations, he said that though ut uit not pretend to agree with all the views of the late Mr. David Svnie (editor and proprietor of the Melbourne Age) he could not withhold admiration lor his Mr. Ranergee (India) said he had no hesitation) in saying that the vernacular i Press had 110 sympathy with the Indian outrages. He believed that under Lord Morley's rule India would experience a great improvement. Mr. Alfred L.vttelton said he was delighted to hear Sir Edward (Jrey endorse Lord Rosebery's utterance. He suggested that the colonial contributions should jiofc Ihi annual grants, but money to build ships to make a nucleus for the effort and aspirations of the future, ending ultimately in the ships being manned by the citizens of the donor colony and named aftvr the latter, her otlieers having facilities for rising to the highest posts in the navy.

MESSAGES SKXT liV Sill JOSEPH WARD. From Ihi' editor of Hie Standard, Sir .To>ep]i Ward on Tiu^tlu} 1 received the following message:— "Would lie .to pub'i.-h of congratulation from New Zealand through you on opening Press Confer•once to-day." The I'lime 'M'rafeter's reply was as under:— "New Zealand recognises the immense importance of the IW> Conference which opens to-day. It will'make powerfully for a better understanding of the mutual interests of tihe Motherland and her oversea dominions, and thereby immediately and widely contribute to a:i improved and permanent lwiais for J true Imperialism. Xew Zealand confidently expects great and far-reaching results from the conference, and sees in the estaMishment of suelv conference another powerful link between us and the people of fireat liritain.—J. G. Ward." A cablegram was also received by Sir Joseph from the editor of the Daily Chronicle, a« under:— "Imperial Press' Conference meats Monday. Beg for message with, reference to it, and the good work wMi it can do. Xew Zealand has six representatives."

1m reply to thi s message, Sir Joseph despatched a cable worded as follows: "I desire to express Xeiw Zealand's appreciation of the great event taking piaife to-day. The opening of the Press Conference is another portentous mark of the ever-inlcreasing solidarity of the Empire. This meeting will, I believe, result in an effective co-operation of the Press throughout all the oversea dominion in the cause of true Imperialism, and in all tlhe great movements-which make to that end.—.]. G. Ward."