The Dominion FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1924. THE SINGAPORE BASE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 21 March 1924, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1924. THE SINGAPORE BASE

It is significant that the British Labour-Socialist Government does not attempt to justify the abandonment of the Singapore naval base project on tho ground that it would not serve the purpose intended from a naval point of view. It is also noteworthy that Mr. MacDonald frankly admits that it would not be an infringement of the Washington Treaty to proceed with the undertaking. These two points are important because they in effect amount to an abandonment of some of the strongest arguments previously advanced against the Singapore scheme. The great weight of naval opinion supports the view that a naval base at Singapoie is essential to the maintenance of sufficient naval strength in the Pacific to safeguard British interests in these seas. The soundness of this view the British Labour-Socialist Government does not now attempt to challenge. What the MacDonald Ministry says in effect is that more important than the provision of a naval base to safeguard British interests in the Pacific is the creation of an atmosphere of conciliation and international good-will. That to carry out the Singapore scheme would jeopardise the Government’s international policy which aims at a further reduction of world armaments. The sentiment in favour of international disarmament and a general movement towards the abolition of war is so general that there are many who perhaps may be misled by Mr. MacDonald s pious aspirations. They should not confuse a profession of policy and the enunciation of ideals with actual achievements. Mor should they take it for granted that the safest road to general disarmament is for Britain to set the pace along that road and place herself at a disadvantage. On the contrary, Mr. MacDonald’s method of carrying out his benevolent policy, while it weakens the position of the Empire as a naval Power, affords no assurance whatever that this sacrifice will have any beneficial results in the direction of inducing other Powers to follow the example set- The British Government, in fact, proposes to embark on a great gamble and to make the venture in opposition to the expressed opinions of its Admiralty expertsThere may be room for differences of opinion as to tho possible or probable effect of tho action of the MacDonald Ministry. Mr. MacDonald, as already stated, claims that the abandonment of the Singapore scheme wili facilitate a comprehensive agreement in the limitation of armaments. That is his opinion—the opinion of an idealist. Mr. Bruce, the Commonwealth Prime Minister, on the other hand, while in perfect sympathy with Mr. MacDonald’s ideal of international co-operation towards conditions which will promote a general disarmament regards the abandonment of Singapore as likely to have exactly the opposite effect to that contemplated by tho British iPrime Minister.

The influence which the British Empire has exerted in the councils of the nations has been due primarily to its strength, and it is undeniable that its strength depends on its Navy, its power, and mobility. To weaken tho power of Britain as proposed by the British Government would not, in Mr. Bruce’s view, strengthen its influence in international affairs; and that view, we believe, will be very generally endorsed in Britain as well as in Australia and New Zealand. There was nothing in the negotiations at the Washington Conference to suggest that Mr. MacDonald’s methods of working towards his ideals are likely to be productive of material results. At Washington it was a matter of hard bargaining and mutual sacrifices before any measure of agreement could be reached. The weaker the naval position of any of the parties to the Conference happened to be the less that party had to offer by way of sacrifice to secure a corresponding sacrifice from other nations. There is no reason to believe that future disarmament will be discussed on any other basis. It would be pleasant, indeed, to bo able to look forward hopefully to the abandonment of the Singapore scheme leading to a general movement towards disarmament. But there is no assurance of any movement of the kind following it, and in the meantime the naval defence and prestige of the Empire will be weakened by the step taken, and apart from the risks in this respect, the position of Britain will be prejudiced in any negotiations for future disarmament, by reason of what she has already sacrificed without any quid pro quo.