CALL FOR TROOPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1922, Page 5

CALL FOR TROOPS.

AID OF DOMINIONS. NEAR EAST CRISIS. ACTION JUSTIFIED. By Telegraph.--Press Awn.—Copyright. Capetown, October 18. At Johannesburg, replying to the charge by Mr. Hertzog, that the British Governments had appealed to the Dominions over the heads of their own Governments, General Smuts said he had no fault t-o find with the attitude of the British Government. They were bound to notify the Dominions of what was going on, and did so in the most civil and polite way. They asked the South African Union, but did not invite them to do anything, whether they wished to associate themselves with Britain in case war broke out with Turkey. There was nothing to which exception could be taken. They went further and said the request was really addressed to New Zealand and Australia, because of the great Anzac tradition, and said the communication to the South African Union was really pro forma. If Mr. Lloyd George had not done what he did he would have failed in his duty to the Dominions. He was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the Near East question. The British Government knew his view® ion the subject’ already. General Smuts thought the British Government acted with great firmness and saved, without bloodshed, the Empire and the world from very great trouble.