BRITAIN AND EMPIRE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25307, 6 October 1947, Page 7

BRITAIN AND EMPIRE

CONSERVATIVE PARTY ’ DEBATE t r * r POLICY FOR FURTHERING » UNITY ’ , c LONDON, October 3. The British Empire could not sustain its rightful leadership in the world unless it had material and economic strength behind it, said Mr L. S. Amery, a former Dominions Secretary, in seconding a resolution on Empire development at the Conservative ( Party’s conference at Brighton. He added that Britain could not ask £ the Dominions to take a larger share 1 of the burden of Imperial defence un- £ less she helped them to develop their resources and build UP their populations on which the burden must rest f The resolution, which was adopted, < said that the conference, believing « that the peace and prosperity of the . United Kingdom and the world de- ■ pended, above anything else, on a i strong, independent British Empire, < called pn the Conservative Party to reaffirm itself the great Imperial . party, and declare a policy for further- t ing the Empire’s economic and politi- t cal unity. The movers accepted an addendum « stating that in the meantime the con- J ference hoped that the Commonwealth ( Governments participating in the ( trade conference at Geneva would not ( enter into tariff agreements with any : foreign country which would hamper j their freedom of action or weaken the ] existing system of Imperial prefer- , ences, Mr C liver Stanley, a former ; Colonial Secretary, said that the Empire was Britain’s refuge and her chief 1 hope for the future. There was no ] hope of securing a consistent Imperial j policy if it was on a partisan basis and ) subject every few vears to the whims 1 of an electorate which was often in- ] fluenaed by considerations not connected with Imperial policy. The Conservatives welcomed such 'schemes as < the East African ground nuts project < “But it is unwise to count your nuts ' before they are ground,” he said. He added that he did hot join in any of th? sometimes hank criticism? of America wmeh had beep Britain’s ; grest ally in the past, and which was 1 needed a? 9 great friend of the future. > The best hope of world peace lay in < | co-operation between the United States • and the .British Empire. The United I States had been pursuing a sincere 2 and. he believed, a disinterested policy 1 at Geneva, but it was based wholly 1 on the wrong premise. It was founded ■ on an optimism about, world trade ‘ which was completely unfounded on ' fact. j 1