The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1921 AN EPOCH-MAKING CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1921 AN EPOCH-MAKING CONFERENCE.

In the -course of a recent interview, Mr. Massey, referring to the conference of Premiers which has just terminated, said: “Apart from the Imperial War Cabinet, this conference was epoch-making, inasmuch as it had marked the first occasion that representatives of the Dominions had joined in the government of the Empire as a Wjtole,” adding that he was very strongly of opinion that they had laid the foundation of a system which would, in years to come, develop into a satisfactory form of government for the Empire. If that were all to be said of the conference it would convey the impression that much valuable time and expense had been wasted, while there can be no question that the foundation has been laid for a better understanding of the many difficult problems with which the Imperial Government is faced. It is as well to bear in mind that when the conference was fixed, the chief matters for consideration were Empire defence, the renewal of the AngloJapanese Treaty, Foreign policy, the Pacific problem, and the means of, more rapid communication between the Dominions and the Motherland. A perusal of the official report, which purports to give a summary of the work of the conference, will not be productive of any glow of pride at the actual results achieved, for beyond the main «lines of foreign policy, which, after attendance by Premiers at meetings of the Imperial Cabinet when important international matters were under consideration, were fully approved, all the other questions were held over. That such was the case in no way detracts from the value of the conference, the real intent being to obtain the views of the Premiers, to adjust those views as far as possible in the direction of unity, and to raise the structure of Empire Government a full storey, and, above all, to secure a common basis for uniting influences for good government and order, and for a peace so strong and world-wide that aro future brand of discussion could light again the old fire of war to engulf the world. The late war caused, as could nothing else, the Dominions to realise how greatly their and safety depended on the policy and acts of other nations, as well as the important part which Britain 's foreign policy plays in the affairs of the whole Empire, especially in the development of that national spirit which has raised the Dominions to the status of co-partnership in the Empire. In view of the truth of Mr. Hughes’ contention that “out of foreign policy wars are hatched,” it is gratifying to know that the conference reached a unanimous opinion as to the main lines to be followed by British policy, there being a deep conviction that the whole weight of the Empire should be concentrated behind a united understanding and common action in foreign affairs. A satisfactory scheme for making this concerted action operative has yet to be evolved, and it would seem to depend on the establishment of a rapid and reliable system of inter-communication, rather than by more frequent gatherings of overseas Premiers. The proposal by America to hold a conference on the limitation of armaments was the means of postponing the further consideration of the policy as to defence matters as well as those connected with the Pacific, also the An gio-Japanese Treaty. All things' considered, this intervention was adventitious as the outcome of that conference,

it is hoped, will place an entirely different complexion on those problems. One of the most important expressions of opinion by the Premiers was that relating to India’s claim for equality of treatment of Indians by the Dominions, that opinion (from which South Africa dissented) bring that, in the interests of the solidarity of the British Commonwealth, it is desirable that the rights of Indians to citizenship should be recognised. Logically, the view of the conference is sound, but its operation may lead to endless trouble if 'the labor market of the Dominions is adversely affected by the unlimited admission of Indian competitors. At the same time it may be possible to provide sufficient safeguards to ensure that the risk of friction is reducible to a. minimum, though it would probably have been wiser to re-affirm the principle that each Dominion was entitled to decide which immigrants it should admit as Settlers, Though the conference has not actually accomplished much, it achieved the main purpose for which it was summoned—the interchange of views and opinions.