LEADERS OF NATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 136, 11 June 1929, Page 7

LEADERS OF NATIONS.

Mac Donald To Seek Conference With Hoover. , IMPROVING RELATIONS. '{Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, June 10. The official Labour organ, the "Daily Herald," in. a leading article dealing with Mr. Arthur Henderson's foreign policy says:— '•Labour intends to lay new emphasis on the importance of the League of Nations, the development of arbitration, the resumption of diplomatic relations with Eussia, the evacuation of tha Ehineland, and the improvement and strengthening'of Britain's relations with the United States. '•This constitutes a programme the fulfilment of which will mark a gigantic step toward peace. It is a good omen too that Mr. Mac Donald and Mr. Henderson are expecting an opportunity for personal contact and consultation with the American Government." A message from Washington says reports received there from London that Mr. Mac Donald is to seek a personal conference with the President, Mr. Hoover, on the subject of the relations between Britain anil America, and also a conference with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, have been received there with some surprise. However, the report meets with the approval of Mr. W. E. Borah, chairman of the Foreign Eelations Committee of the Senate. " He said to-day that the greatest problem in the world is the lifting of the burden of armaments from the backs of men. • "Close co-operation between Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Hoover would give an exceptional assurance that progress would be made/' remarked Mr. Borah. Although no comment is forthcoming from White House it is assumed that Mr. Hoover will welcome the opportunity of discussing international relations" with the British and Canadian Prime Ministers. Mr. L. MacNeil Weir, M.P. (Lab., Clackmannan and East Stirling) has been appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Mr. Eamsav Mac Donald. Mr. Weir has had a varied career as journalist, actor, sailor, teacher and lecturer in political economy. The "Morning Post" says: '"There is nothing to alarm, but much to reassure in Mr. Mac Donald's broadcast message. Evidently he is in a good humour and his path has been made unexpectedly straight. "Presumably the Prime Minister is not preparing a big offensive against the conditions which make for the confidence and stability of industry, and does not intend to penalise the industries which are daring to be prosperous. "The declarations of some of Mr. MacDonald's colleagues, who are more eager to injure the capitalist than to benefit the wage-earner, leave little ground for hoping "that the Socialist Government will leave well alone. "However, if Mr. Mac Donald's policy is better than their professions he will do much to deserve the confidence he desires to earn."

Mr. Lanchlan MaeXeil "Weir, Labour M.P. for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire' since 1922, was born in 1877. He Was a master at the Shawlands Academy, Glasgow, before he contested unsuccessfully the Argyllshire seat in 1918. During the" 1924 Labour Ministry Mr. Weir was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald.