IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 303, 16 September 1921, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

GENERAL SMUTS ONLY HALF SATISFIED SOVEREIGN INDEPENDENCE QF DOMINIONS t 1 By Telegraph—Press Association—Oonyrlght Cape Town, September 14. The "Volkstem,” a Government qrgan, publishes a remarkable interview by its London correspondent with General Smuts, who declared he was only halfsatisfied with the result of tho Imperial Conference, but had hopes for the future, because on such occasions one was lucky -if he got only 5 per cent, of hie views adopted. Ho strongly emphasised the necessity for a settlement of the trouble in Silesia, as well as the abstinence. by British statesmen from interference in such international affairs as did not deeply concern them. An end should have been, put to the 'stirring in tho witches’ cauldron of ( Central Europe. The Dominions enjoyed' as much sovereignty as they qared to get. He referred to the Foreign Office attending to Dominion affairs as an anomaly' which Mr. Hughes, Mr. Mcighen, and himself ■ had decided to let alone for the time beipg, because-if the idea of the sovereign independence of the Dominions sank into, the minds of the people the rest would follow automatically in the course of time. In conclusion, he said that he was glad he was returning to South Africa, because ns a-Boer he was ‘thoroughly tired of English customs, which mostly consisted of sports and dancing.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.