DELEGATES’ COMMENTS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26118, 22 May 1950, Page 7

DELEGATES’ COMMENTS

Speaking at a formal session after the issue of the communique. Lord, Macdonald said: “We consider that in I this conference we have carried on the work well begun at Colombo. We have given practical shape to the Colombo economic resolutions and a sure I foundation has been laid fox- the ’ rgent Work which lies ahead in the full development of the countries of South' and South-east Asia.” Mr Spender said: “The result of our deliberations lays the foundation stone of an edifice which in the end will help in bringing about stability of the countries of South-east Asia. Our deliberations are an earnest of what we intend to do in the future.” The Canadian delegate (Mr R. W. Mayhew) said: “Canada has taken an active interest in this conference, and will continue to do so for two reasons. First, because we are a member of the Commonwealth, and second, because We are greatly interested in the Pacific, with distance meaning so little to us now.” Mr J. R. Jayawardene (Ceylon) said: , “The conference has established certain! ideals—that a high standard of living! should be brought to the under-devel-oped countries of South-east Asia: that I the people in these#countries should' live according to a democratic way of | life: and that each country should be ruled according to ihe law—no man should be deprived of his liberty ex- | cept by law. I am sure we can follow this great conception—not by com-1

. petition, but by co-operation.” Pakistan’s delegate. Mr Chaudry ! Nazir Ahmed Khan said: “The practical proposals we have agreed upon may lead us to achieve *spectacular results.” Sir A. Ramaswami Mudaliar, leader of the Indian delegation, said: “India ! will do all she can to help the 1 ?ss fortunate people of South-east Asia to | find their feet, to raise the low level of their standard of living, and to bring a certain amount of contentment to these people, who in the past have been subjected to dominance.’ Mr F. W. Doidge (New Zealand) said that the great personalities of Mr Bevin and Pandit Nehru had been misI sed from the conference, but delegates i welcomed the attendance of Lord Macdonald, whose charm, tact and great good judgment had been enormously helpful. Mr Doidge also paid a tribute to Six* Ramaswami Mudaliar and to Mr Jayawardene, “who played such an important part at the Colombo conference in producing a plan jointly with Mr Spender.” Mi- Doidge concluded: “We have been able to settle our differences of opinion and there are now no disagreements. There has been no ill-feeling and to me a real joy is that we can go away feeling it is true that in our association we have found our strength. I am more convinced than ever that in the strength of the British Commonwealth of Nations lies the future Lope of the world.”