FOREIGN POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1921, Page 5

FOREIGN POLICY.

ATTiTUDE OF AUSTRALIA. JIB. HUGHES INTERVIEWED. VIEWS ON IMPERIAL MATTERS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn—Copyright. Paris, May 29. The Maritime Prefect at Toulon welcomed Mr. W. M. Hughes, who said that in July le would carry out the mission entrusted to him by Australian widows and mothers and hand a flag of remembrance to the city of Amiens. He al-o intended to invite M. Clemenceau to visit Australia.

The authorities and public of Toulon were disappointed that Mr. Hughes was unable to accept the reception organised in his honor. It is expected Mr. Hughes will go to Paris and Amiens from the Orvieto. When the ship anchored the Prefect went on board and later Mr. Hughes landed and returned the Prefect’s visit.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Hughes expressed pleasure that the Chamber had approved M. Briand’s policy. Union was absolutely necessary between the two countries, which should come to an understanding regarding Silesia and German reparations. ‘Tn my view.” he said, “the peace of the world depends on a just and firm policy. The bonds of union between the Dominions and the Mother Country will be affirmed in a solemn manner at the coming conference.” “I am,” he said, “convinced that the treaty with Japan will be of a character to maintain the situation, and I am desirous of America’s participation in the work. lam of opinion that the moment has arrived to put the brake on armaments among civilised nations.” Mr. W. M. Hughes, interviewed at Toulon, said it was desirable that the United States should be a partner with England in the renewal of the AngloJapanese Treaty. He advocated the solidarity of the Dominions and Britain in framing foreign policy. Mr. Massey, questioned in reference to Mr. Hughes’ statement’, declared his unwillingness to discuss America’s participation. It would be time enough when the question was submitted to the Imperial Conference. CRITIC OF MR. HUGHE'THE PROBLEM OF AUSTRALIA. HAPPY SKETCH OF MR. MASSEY. Received May 30, 8.35 p.m. London, May 30.

Mr. C. F. G. Masterman, a former Liberal Minister and a member of the Asquith Cabinet, discussing in the Daily News the personnel of the Imperial Cabinet meeting, says: “We all know r our Mr. Hughes. His visit coincides with that of the Australian cricketers, and there is probably not one member of the Australian eleven whom the British people would not have preferred above Mr. Hughes as the Australian delegate. The ghastly mess of his latest visit, with its combined truculence concerning militarism and tariff reform, falls on a different nation from the one he lectured to death. He will be well advised to refrain from such utterances.

“He can fully occupy himself with his own desperate problem, that of keeping the swarming Eastern races from the boundless, unoccupied continent, to which, at the same time, no white races are being invited. If he endeavors to fill it with English settlements he will find the task impossible. If he trusts to a natural increase in English settlements he will be equally lost. If he believes England is going to build a gigantic navy in order to protect an unoccupied Australia he is living in dreams. If he refuses to accept all white settlers, whatever European nation they belong to, he will prove faithless to the great guardianship committed to his hand.” Mr. Masterman continues: “Mr. MasFey. with his big body and laugh, seems to embody the Dominion's uninterrupted prosperity, and he seems to incarnate its continuous growth, lack of seridUs problems and steady accumulation of material wealth.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.