IMPERIAL CLEARING HOUSE

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16883, 10 July 1920, Page 12

IMPERIAL CLEARING HOUSE

"JOHN BULL'S" DIRECTORS. (FROII OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON. May i'O. At a luncheon arrangc-d at the House cf Commons by the Empire Parliamentarv Association in honour ot the Eight Hon. "\V. A. Wat:, ex-Treasurer of the Australian Commonwealth, Lord Milner was responsible for a von' interesting; suggestion—the establishment of a Clearing House for the exchange of information and views between the different parts of the Empire. He advocateu the setting up of a Standing Committee in London upon which every Dominion should have as representative a responsible Minister in close touch with liie opinion ot' his fellow-country-men. More could b.' achieved hv a few hours' conversation around a table than by weeks and months of longranee correspondence. Lord Milner said lie most cordially agreed with a remark made by Mr Watt—that the Jinn of "John Bull and Company'' did nut have enough meetings of directors, and ho went ou to say that the boards of the several branches of tho firm were practically independent of one another. For dealing -jyitli matters that exclusively concerncd one branch that complete freedom was an immense advantage, but in dealing with matters of common interest there was danger of gettnig into a muddle, unless the several boards could all be kept continuously informed of what each was thinking and doing. He was convinced that with all the cards on the table and full opportunties of information and discussion, they would never take conflicting action. (Cheers.) Since meetings could only be held at long intervals, and sinc-a things would notT wait until the directors of "John Bull and Co." had an opportunity of talking them over, the question arose, "What is to be done "in tlio interval?" There should be established some sort of an "Imperial dealing House" for the constant exchange of information and views between the boards of the branches. Would it not be of the very highest utility that there should be a Standing Committee for information and consultation about #11 Imperial affairs, on which every branch should have at least one representative? Would it not bo possible lor the Ministry of every Dominion to have constantly available for discussion with his colleagues from the other Dominions, and with some member of members of the British Government, about matters of common concern ? It might not always bo the same man, for tho essence of tiie idea was that the man should have, been in recent and close touch with his colleagues, and with the public opinion of the Dominion from which he came. Such an arrangement would, in his opinion, be calculated to make the "Imperial Clearing House" a most effective machine for enabling tho severtTl Governments, while each retained its complete liberty of action, constantly to concert together. As representing the Australian Government, Mr Watt thought th.it all tho great Dominions would do well to have and keep, in changing personnel, constant touch with responsible Ministers at the seat of Empire. They had been granted representation on tho Assembly and a direct wiro to tlia general "secretariat of the League of Nations. Carelessness in tho working out of tho problem might reveal hidden dangers to the Empire. Tho greatest care must be taken to see that the Empire's voice in international affairs came through one set of lips. (Cheers.) That did not mean that Dominion opinion or conviction was to be unregistered. He felt certain that tho frequent consultation advocated by Lord Milner would avert all that. Guests at tho luncheon included Lt.Gol. L. S. Amcry, M.P., and Sir Thomas Mackenzie. Recalling tho fact that Lord Harcourt made a similar suggestion some years ago, tho "Daily Mail" says: — "The phrase—'lmperial Clearing House' —brings back into currency a practical and. stimulating idea which must not be allowed to fall on stony ground. Tho great part taken by the Dominions in the war necessitated the presence of Dominions' Cabinet Ministers in London as honoured members of the Imperial War Cabinet. With tho war the War Cabinet has passed away. There is a gap in the machinery of continuous personal intercourse, which then proved so valuable, not only between the several Dominions' Governments but also between these Governments and the British Cabinet. Something equally effective is needed in its place. A means of taking common counsel and exchanging' views and information between all branches of tho Empire is no less necessary for settling problems of peaceful development than it was for the effective prosecution of the war. Such a body of Dominions' Cabinet- Ministers, as Lord Milner suggests, resident in London, and in close co-operation with our Government, will preserve, as nothing else will, that spirit of Empire for which Mr Watt pleaded in such eloquent terms. THE IDEAL MEETING PLACE. With, the signing of the Peace Treaty with Germany, mo iintisn e delegation in jL'ans—descrmea by ijuru 'iVluner as "an invatuaole instrument for co-ordinating the ettorts ot tlie ciiiierent States ot tne i'.aipiro anci fcecpi ing them all in touen. and in lino" — ! ceased to exist, ana so far notniug mis | Oeon set cp in its stead. i>espucche3 ! iiDd telegrams for consultation are considered Oy the "Daily leiegrapn" as being unsatisfactory media, and that paper regarding tho "round table" as the ideal meeting place lor the representatives of a tausiiy of nations, continues: —"in Tlx- very nature ■ of things, since leagues ot' sea separate lis from the Dominions and tne .uoaunions from each other, Ministers, with home affairs to occupy them, cannot mc-ot very often. In the intervals it would be an immense advantage if some organisation existed for the interchange of information and views between all the. Boards of the various branches of the firm —'some sort of Imperial Clearing House.' The idea is an attractive one, conliicting in 110 way with tradition or with tho general trend of the Imperial movement. Wo can only hope, for the sake oi : all that we have in common in ili;- future, that this suggestion, thrown out, as Lord Milner pointed out, as a personal , to the solution vi an urgent problem, ; will be seriously con-idned in the Dominions. They are finite as much interested as ourselves iu evolving out of t!i° c-xnerifU'O cf the war rom;» fife-- | rive ag.T.fv for «.tu«:yinrr in co-operation j the varied of r>enco." I 1 1