COMMONWEALTH’S FUTURE ROLE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27055, 2 June 1953, Page 6

COMMONWEALTH’S FUTURE ROLE

Increased Importance Predicted

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, May 31. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) envisages a future in which the role of the Commonwealth will be even more important than it has been in the past.

Mr Menzies made it clear at a press conference today that whatever structural changes there might be in the British Commonwealth, its functional association was likely to become increasingly important. Mr Menzies said that at all times of real crisis the world would depend on joint understanding and joint action between British countries and the United States. “Because that is so, I think that maximum strength in the British Commonwealth is vital to the world.” he said. The Commonwealth could not have this maximum strength unless there were very closely associated policies and actions which would involve the recognition of enlightened selfinterest. Mr Menzies said the Australian, New Zealand, Ceylonese and other Commonwealth troops taking over from the Guards at Buckingham Palace constituted “a splendid reminder of the pervading significance of the Crowq.” Nations sometimes devoted a lot of time and thought to achieving political independence only to discover that there was no such thing in the modern world as complete national independence. Mr Menzies said. On the contrary, there was ■ inter-depend-ence among nations with common principles to defend their common interests in peace and security. “The greatest working organisation I know of which gives expression to that inter-dependence is the British Commonwealth,” he said. Mr Menzies expressed his belief in the principle of Imperial preferences. Tariff preferences were of immense importance as a means of directing the flow of trade, he said. He expressed doubt that the American opposition to Imperial preferences was as great as some thought. Mr Menzies said he was not sure whether he would press for extended Imperial preferences at the coming London meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers. He might do so if the moment seemed ripe and it aopeared appropriate to reopen problems the Ministers discussed five months ago.

When the day came for the extension of Imperial preferences, there would have to be changes in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, though he was not in favour of denouncing G.A.T.T. altogether.