EMPIRE LINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 5 June 1923, Page 5

EMPIRE LINKS.

MEANS OF FORGING THEM. QUESTIONS FOR CONFERENCE. LONDON, May 24. A framework for a common foreign! policy for the Empire is advocated by I the "Times" in a special Empire supplement dealing with the British Commonwealth, and published for Empire Day. In an editorial the "Times" says:—; "The Imperial Conference meeting in London in the autumn will be faced with the solution of many grave pro-| blems. It would be as unwise to treat' the present dangers to unity as things: of passing and superficial importance aSj it is unnecessary to regard them as fore-j shadowing the end of the Empire. | "The participation of the Dominions in foreign affaire, so far from being a | source of danger, must make an immense [ and incalculable difference to the moral j and material strength of British policy. "It is becoming necessary constantly/ to rebuild the structure of th« Empire, l but so long as the common ties of kin- ( ship, understanding, and sympathy re-| main there is no need to fear that an alteration in the structure will necessarily weaken it. "A growing insistence upon nationalstatus on the part of the great Domi-j nions is but a further manifestation of the fact that they are come of age. As each Dominion grows stronger so should the Commonwealth.of which it is a part grow stronger too. "PIOUS RESOLUTIONS." "The Conference will have to deal in its deliberations with many, practical questions, but each of them will affect directly or indirectly the problem of Imperial unity. It will be the hope of all that the Prime Ministers of the Empire will arrive not only at an understanding regarding the framework of a common foreign policy, but as to the means by which continuous consultation may be maintained. "If unity is to be preserved it is clear that there must be an improvement in the methods of communication and transport, and for this reason it is to be hoped that the decisions of the Conferference on wireless telegraphy and air services will go further than the 'pious resolutions' which aroused justifiable impatience in more than one Prime Minister in 1021.

"The Empire Conference will sit side | by side with the Conference of Prime Ministers, and between them they may further the cause that is the most vital [ of Imperial tasks—the redistribution of the population within the Empire. "In all frankness it must be admitted that the record of the Empire Settlement Act for the past twelve months remains one of promise rather than of actual achievement. Nevertheless, there has been a welcome quickening of interest in the Dominions recently. "Australia stands committed to several broadly visioned schemes. Canada and New Zealand, after a period of hesitation, due to a variety of causes, are making cautious experiments. It is perhaps not too much to hope that the coming year will see closer co-operation between the authorities in this country and the Governments ovcrseaE, and a lesser degree of fastidiousness in the requirements laid down by the Dominions in search of the ideal settler, as well ae. above all. a greater concentration upon the practical possibilities in place of enthusiastic, but unprofitable, surmises as to future potentialities."