IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 14, 17 January 1921, Page 8

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

MEETING IN JUNE, 1921

NEW STATUS OF DOMINIONS.

(FROM OUK OWN CORRESI'ONDEXT.)

LONDON, 18th Novembe;

"I have boen anxious for sonic time past to renew as soon, as possible that personal consultation between Prime Ministers, which produced such good results in the last two years of the war and at Paris," said the Prime 11 mister, in answer to a. question in the House last week. "I recently made inquiries of my colleagues in the Dominions as to the date which would be most generally suitable for them, and 1 am glad to say that a, meeting with the Pi'ime Ministers of the Empire lias been arranged for the ni i d<il o of J v ne; 1921." Mr. Lloyd George, answering a supplementary question, said tliat the holding of the Conference at Ottawa liad been, discussed, but ho did not state what had been the result. Those who are in touch with ropi'iK-enta-iive Canadian opinion declare that it would give much sa.tisfaction, not alone in Canada, but in other Dominions, if the place of tins momentous gathering, where tho status of the Dominions will come under detailed, discussion, was the Dominion capital. ' In a leading article The Times reipills the fact that in Moy, .1917, the Imperial War Conference passed a resolution recording the opinion that "the readjustment of the constitutional relations of the component parts of the Empuo" was "too ■ important and intricate a subjest to he dealt with during the war," and recommending that it "should iorm the subject of a special' Imperial j Conference to be summoned as soon as | possible after the cassation of hostilities." The resolution also asserted that the recognition of full autonomy for tli3 Dominions :nust be the basis of the discussions at this Special Conference; that the right of India as well as of the Dominions "to in fdecruate voice in foreign policy and in foreign relations" must be recognised; and Ihat the business of the Special Conference would be .o "provide effective arrangements for | continuous consultation in all important matters of common Imperial concern, «nd for sush nejessary concerted action, founded en consul tat. on, as the severai (•overnments may determine." ASSOCIATION OF SEUf-GOVEItN-ING.STATEI . "The terms of the resolution of 1917," it is stated, "set out a clear international position <if the component States of the Empire. They picture the Empire as nu association of self governing Slates, with a:' the rights of self-govern-ment, bound by ihe common tie of the Crown, and, conducting the common affairs of their, national partnership through periodic consult<itior.<! among their leaders. This conception of the Empire is certainly that which lias captured the imagination of the Dominion peop'.es Their Prime Ministers signed the Peace Treaty as the representatives of sovereign States within the British association of States. " All the Dominions have been absorbed, since the Armistice, in the readjustment of their own affairs after the war. It has been convenient for them to let the British Government act for them in international affairs, 3£ before the war. But we are convinced that this does not mean that the Dominions ■will be content to return to their prewar international status, or that they see no importance in the signature' of the Peace Treaty by their Prime Ministers. Far from it; they have clearly in their minds the conception of the 'Empire as an associated band of self-governing States, owning allegiance to the same sovereign. They sea clearly the 'practical difficulties of that conception as a working principle in ' international affairs. And we are much mistaken if they do not look forward to the meeting of their Prime Ministers with the British Ministers next June as the first opportunity since the war for giving effect in detail to these ideas. Empire Government, in their view, must be government by consultation between equal States. That principle was tried in war time and found to be workable. The task of the Conference in June will be to devise plans^ for making the same principle effective and efficient, as a working basis of Empire government, in times of peace." SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION. In.the House yesterday Mr. Bonar Law stated that the meeting of Prime Ministers summoned for June next would be on the lines of the Imperial" War Cabinet meetings of 1917 and 1918, and would -deal with many urgent questions of common interest which called for coordination of policy and action by the different Governments of the Empire. The agenda would be a matter for subsequent settlement with the. Dominion Prime Ministers. There was general agreement tfiat Imperial Defence matters wonW require joint examination in the near future, but he was not able to say precisely what arrangements would be made .for their discussion. Major O'Neill asked : "Are we to understand that the very important question of readjustment of constitutional re-, lations between different parts of the Empire will be debarred from discussion at the forthcoming conference?" Mr. Bonar Law's reply was inaudible.