IMPERIAL ROUND TABLE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3095, 28 May 1917, Page 6

IMPERIAL ROUND TABLE

DISCUSSIONS AT THE WAR CONFERENCE

SOLDIERS' GRAVES IN GALLIPOLI

INDIAN IMMIGRATION

m London, May 25. ,A 2 Book nas ,jecn 'published covering the proceedings of the Imperial War Conference, The look contains the minutes, tind the resolutions previously cabled.

_ Mr. W. H. Long (Colonial Secretary), in. his opening address, said he was satisfied that'-.Germany was making the most complete preparations for competition after the war. : In battle we were found unprepared; he hoped we would not again be caught unprepared, in' Ihe peaceful conflict which would come after the war, and in which we ought to do something more than hold our own. Ho therefore believed the conference must be ielpful. , - ■ General Smuts said he thought thaimatters concerning, the war should be settled by the conference. Sir Joseph' Ward disagreed. He thought tho conference should discuss matters effecting the Empire after the wnr. "If wo begin, twelve months after'the war." said Sir Joseph Ward, "we begin twelve months too late." Ho hoped to see pro"posals 'to circumvent the enemy's insidious, nttacks concerning .the vital trade interests of the Empire. There should be a. discussion concerning the value of the Pacific to the Empire; the subventions of British shipping should be discussed, and they should deal with the naturalisation, of aliens after the war, and make any action uniform. Soldiers' Graves, . There were lengthy discussions on the care of soldiers' graves, the Constitution of the Empire, and-the'double income tax. Mr. W! P. Massey took exception to the draft charter for the care of graves in not specifically mentioning Gallipoli. Sir Eot)ert Borden (Canada) said he thought the charter should make reference to all the theatres of war. -Mr. Massey contended that other places irere_ not in the same position, because Gallipoli was in an enemy country. .Other members painted out tU*rt Palestine, Salonika, and Me?op6tamia were in thn same category as Gallipoli. The Conference ultimately adopted the resolution cabled, and also, decided that 'the maintenance, of graves should be made a national charge. Commonwealth of Nations. Sir Robert Borden, speaking to the resolution dealing with the Constitution of the Empire, said he looked forward to -development along the line of an increasingly equal status of the Dominions and the Mother Country. He believed the Dominions fully.realised the ideal of an Imperial Commonwealth of United Nations, with the Crown as the tie. Under the present conditions it would be unwise -fov the Conference to nttempt to enter on the subject.' He hoped the delegation to the next Conference would lo thoroughly representative of all political parties. ' - ' Mr. Ma'Ssey, in seconding the motion, agreed with General Smuts. He considered that the circumstances of Umpire entirely preclude a federal solution. An attempt to so run different races, languages, and economic conditions, in even common concerns, would absolutely court ;" disaster."

Sir Joseph Ward strongly opposed any attempt to hand over the control of individual defence forces to any Empire Parliament, but reiterated his previous views on the necessity for such a Parliament. Meanwhile, there ought to be overseas tenresentatives in the British Cabinet.

During the discussion on the double income tax. Treasury officials stated that it was absolutely impossible to inquire into the subject until after the war, owing to the Treasury's depleted.staff. Indian Immigrants. The book' contains a memorandum on emigration from India to the Dominions, presented by the Indian representatives, which the' Conference recommended for the favourable consideration' of the Governments concerned." The memorandum suggests that_ Indians already permanently settled in the Dominions should be . allowed to bring their wives, subject to the Tule of monogamy, and children, and should be in other respects not less privileged than Japanese immigrants. • future admissions of Indians for labour '. or settlement on regulated line* should l.e not less favourable than the conditions .governing other Asiatics. If this should , be impossible there might be reciprocal ' treatment between India and pach Dominion. If a particular Dominion is "determined to exejude these two classes, India should be free to do the same. It is clearly recognised that exclusion in either case would not be from motive' of race prejudice, but as the. outcome of different ■ economic conditions. 'In 'the event of such exclusion, reciprocal arrangements would be mads granting facilities of admission for tourists, students, and business visits entailing temporary residence.—Aus.-N.J!. Cable Assn.