The Press Monday, October 20, 1924. Non-Interference Within the Empire.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18208, 20 October 1924, Page 8

The Press Monday, October 20, 1924. Non-Interference Within the Empire.

"While we agree with almost everything that was said in the House of Representatives on Friday in condemnation of the message sent to the British Government, by the Xew Zealand Labour Party, we must point out that the actual effect which the message may have can be very easily exaggerated. The Labour Parties in most countries have persuaded themselves that they arc all branches of a single world-wide organisation, and nearly everybody knows that when the Labour Party in one country sends n message of encouragement to the Labour Party in another it is merely duo to ''fraternal" zeal and signifies nothing more than that. "When the Xcw Zealand Labour Party telegraphs to Mr Mac Donald applauding his Singapore policy and the Russian Treaty and his hostility to Tariff Reform, few people in Britain outside the ranks of Labour are likely to suppose that the telegram expresses the opinion of the people of New Zealand. No real harm can have - been done by the telegram dißcussed by the House of Representatives, but Mr Glenn acted rightly in mentioning the matter, for it is always right to protest against anything even resembling public interference by any part of the Empire, or by any section of the people of that part, with tho 'domestic affairs of any other part. The Dominions pride themselves upon their freedom to work out their destiny without interference from outside, and when they think of it they admit, that the strength and unity of the British Commonwealth to-day are in great measure the result of this freedom. Irritation and distrust, with their necessarily hurtful consequences, would develop very speedily if any State of the Commonwealth were given any strong reason for feeling that in its settlement of its domestic problems it was not free from the weight of outside pressure'. It is impossible, of course, for an intelligent man in any Dominion to avoid forming and expressing an opinion upon tho political developments in another Dominion or in Great Britain, but there is all the difference in the world between that intellectual activity on the one hand and on the other hand direct intervention by any party or Government in ' one State in tho affairs of another. The temptation to interfere is often strong, and has not infrequently been too strong to be resisted, but resisted it must be on the highest Imperial grounds, and it is for this reason that

"The PrC3s" has consistently condemned this interference between States without regard to the party concerned. The message sent out by the Labour Tarty gave Mr Massey an opportunity to make a statement concerning the three questions mentioned by the Labour zealots. That New Zealand opinion is hostile to the Singapore policy of the British Government is true," and it is no less true that XenZealand thinks as little as Britain does of the Russian Treaty. On the question of preference Mr asscy spoke much more cautiously. "The grc3t "majority," ho Baid, "are strongly in "favour of bringing the different "countries of the Empire closer together than they have ever been before, and more especially by a policy "of Imperial preference." He might with perfect safety have said that all hut a few cranks desire the perfection of Imperial unity. It is true, also, that nearly every New Zealauder would be glad if Britain and the Dominions could ;ili severally agree to give each other tariff preference. But unless the neAvspapors of the Dominion are one and all hopelessly ignorant of; affairs and hopelessly out of touch with public opinion, the people of New Zealand must be believed not to desire that Britain shall Vie stampeded, wheedled, or bullied into any fiscal policy which she would not freely choose for herself.