FOREIGN POLICY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 96, 18 January 1924, Page 7

FOREIGN POLICY

THE LINKS OF EMPIRE NAVAL DISARMAMENT DANGERS PLEA FOR SINGAPORE BASE By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. London, January 16. Mr. S. M. Bruce, Prime Minister dt Australia, in a speech at a farewell dinner given by the Australian Natives' Association, contended that the peace of the world or the reduction of armaments would not be promoted by Britain alone disarming. He emphasised the necessity for a voice in the Empire’s foreign policy, but declared that it was necessary also that the Dominions should shoulder the obligations entailed and contribute to the defence of the Empire. The time had arrived when they should determine whether they were going to draw closer the links binding the Empire together or whether the Empire should gradually break up into several independent nations. The Empire was as essential to Britain as it was to the Dominions. The strength of the Dominions was too often forgotten in Britain. For one great nation to strip itself of the powers of defence and the means for the enforcement of its will was only encouraging other Powers to increase their armaments. “We. are running straight,” he said, “towards another heavy blunder like the unreasoning reduction of the Air Force by the hesitancy we are stowing in the establishment of the Singapore Naval Base. The ration of 5-5-3, fixed by the Washington Conference is non-ex-istent in the Pacific, where without the Singapore base, Britain would to finable effectively to put a single capital ship.” He declared emphatically that unless a base was built in’the Pacific, Britain mu?t abdicate her position as a great naval Power m the Pacific. He pointed out that American, Japanese, and British naval authorities held that the capital ship was still the determining factor in naval warfare. He contended that the maintenance of the world’s peace depended on the construction of the Singapore base. It would also aid materially in the eventual reduction of armaments the world ever. Dealing with the economic troubles of Britain he declared as a result ot his recent tour that the people of Britain hart not realised the possibilities of the Empire. He stressed the necessity to stir their imagination, and urgad that Hie resolutions of the Economic Conference should be carried out in then entirety on the ground of practical expetlfency, good sense, and Empire unity. Britain was not bound, but Ire was unable to believe that any Government of any shade of political opinion would hesitate to enforce them. —Reuter.