PRESS AND NAVY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3211, 10 June 1909, Page 5

PRESS AND NAVY.

DUTY OF PRESS IN WAR TIME.

NEED FOR SILENCE. United Press [Association—Uy Electric Telegraph Copyright, Received June 9, 8.30 a.m. LONDON, June 8. The Imperial Press Conference discussed the question of the Press and the Navy. The Right Hon. R. M'Kenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, who presided, urged that the Navy should be placed above party, making ifc an Imperial question in the sense of partnership in a navy common to all. Sir Edward Grey discussed the functions of press criticisms. He held that there should not be a partisan press in war time, and that the newspapers should show their patriotism by preserving silence upon many things which they knew. Lord Cromer, formerly British Envoy in Egypt, urged the necessity of stricter control of the vernacular press. Mr F. W. Ward, editor of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph," made a notable speech. Other speakers were the Right Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, ex-Colonial Secretary; Messrs H. A. Gwynne, editor of the "Standard"; J. A. Fuller Maitland. musical critic of "The Times"; M. H. Parle, editor of the "Cape Times"; L. C. M. S. Amery, of "The Times" staff; and S. N. Ban.ieYjee, editor of the "Calcutta Bengalee." LORD ROSEBERYS' SPEECH. BITTER GERMAN COMMENTS. Received June 9, 9.25 a.m. LONDON, June 8.

Ths German newspapers contain bitter comments on Lord Rosebery's speech in welcoming the delegates to the Imperial Press Conference. Even the Liberal organ, the "Vossiche Zeitung," describes the British nation as the victim of an overheated imagination, and subject to a hallucination of persecution. The "New York Times," in commenting on the speech, declares that no man couid do so much .as the Kaiser *to quieten apprehensions of war. Received June 9, 10.2 p.m. LONDON, June 9.

Ihe Hon. R. McKenna, presiding, said that difficulties were growing that £may require the whole of the Empire's strength. So long as they could keep the highways open the difficulties of mutual defence would be lessened. Naval defence in the Imperial aspect covers the Globe, "We have no less a responsibility in one part of the Empire than in another/' said Mr McKenna. In the development of the navy, the idea should come from the Dominions. England cannot force strategic id.as upon a Dominion. If any asked the Admiralty's views, then they wojl.l be ready to answer them, but the Dominions would have to have their own views and methods. The lessons taught by others would not have the same effect as those they lesrnt by themselve3. Maintenance of the supremacy of the sea means the maintenance of the supremacy of all the seas." Mr McKenna urged that the navy should be above party, and he hoped that when the time came the Press would sacrifice professional interests regarding secrets necessary in warfare. Sir E. Grey opened his speech with the following description of the country's foreign policy:— "Keep what we have; consolidate and develop it; quarrel as little as possible with other paople, and uphold in the world's councils and diplomacy the ideals of England." Referring to Lord Rosebery's mention of armaments, Sir E. Grey remarked:— "I endorse every word Lord Rosebery said on Saturday." Sir Edward added:—"We are having comparatively calm weather, but the excessive expenditure on armaments makes the weather sultry. The seriousness of the question cannot be overrated. We have too much at stake to permit the Navy to fall behind. Whatever the burcen, you have shown how great are our resources. We are all travelling towards the idea of a union of allies." He urged that it should be our endeavour to uphold the great qualities of our national character, and labour to make the Government honest and the rJmpire honourable.