EMPIRE POLICY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 32, 8 February 1943, Page 4

EMPIRE POLICY

VOICE OF DOMINIONS RAPID CONSULTATIONS OTTAWA, Feb. 3. In the House of Commons on February 1 the Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, again reviewed arguments against the establishment of an Imperial War Cabinet or Council. He said he knew that the views of the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were similar to his own. The position had changed greatly since the last war, chiefly because of great improvements in methods of communication and consultation, which now were about as perfect as possible. Canada wasconsulted on all major questions and decisions could not be reached by an Imperial War Cabinet as rapidly or with as full information as the present system provided. He referred to the constant flow of communications exchanged between the Commonwealth Governments and to discussions with the High Commissioners. Mr. Mackenzie King said, "What we have to-day is a continuing conference between the Cabinets of the British Commonwealth. Surely nothing could be better than that. Instead of a single war council at London you have a collective Cabinet composed of the Cabinets of the nations of the British Commonwealth."