IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 7

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

URGENT NECESSITY FOR THIS

YEAR'S MEETING

MR. MASSEY'S POSITION.

(FROM ODR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 26th January. In view of cable messages reaching this country from the Dominions relative to the Imperial Conference this year, and also regarding the attitude of the Dominion in times of urgent crisis, " TJie Times " devotes a leading article to the question of "A Common Foreign Policy."

Referring to the Wellington correspondent's report that Mr. Massfey must in any case be prevented by the uncertain political situation at home from attending an Economic Conference so early as April, "The Times" maintains that this suggests that recent political changes in the Dominions have made it increasingly difficult to arrange the meeting of Prime Ministers which is due this summer. " But the European situation makes tbese^ meetings more than ever imperative," the writer continues. " How are the Dominions to exert a formative influence on the foreign policy of the Empire? Is there any way open to their peoples—to adopt a phrase recently used by the Toronto " Globe "—of bridging over the gulf -between normal indifference and periodical excitement?' . The appeal made to the Dominions by the late Government during the Turkish crisis—an appeal correct in intention and substance, however infelicitious in form —awakened doubts and perplexities, and perhaps for that reason has served as a stimulus to discussion. We see its reaction in another message which reaches us from Canada to-day And subsequent events have confirmed the precarious uncertainty of the times in which we live. On the gravest of all international problems Great Britain and her European Allies have taken divergent paths, and the'people of this country and of- the Dominions are I* the moment compelled to watch as spectator? an adventure which it is no longer in their power to influence. Peace, indeed m Europe hangs by a thread, and the political and economic settlement which is the first interest of the Empire is postponed and jeopardised. In these conditions foreign policy, with its ultimate issue of peace or war, appears as a factor of urgent and continuous importance, since on the decisions which are taken may depend the life and prosperity of every citizen of the Empire." After reviewing the Imperial Conference '" me paßfc) *he writer g°es on to say: The practice of frequent personal consultation between the Prime Ministers of the Empire, necessarily interrupted after' the signature of the -leace Treaty, was renewed at the Inrperial Conference of 1921, and in the official report of that meeting the Prims Ministers who were present bore witness to the incalculable value of discussions ranging over the whole field of Imperial policy But for that Conference, indeed, the delegates of the British Empire would probably not have been able to present a united front immediately afterwards at Washington.

A PRACTICABLE COMPROMISE. i • "j fc J s i ,t0 further meetings of this tand, held at such frequent intervals as the limitations of distance will permit that the peoples of the Empire must look under present conditions for the fixing of the broad lines of Imperial foreign policy. When a common policy is decided on—and the experience of recent years suggests that the task of formulating such a policy is not likely to be beyond the powers of Imperial statesmanship—there is no feasible alternative to the method now adopted of leaving the British Government to carry out that policy, acting, as it were, on commission, and after the fullest consultation with the Dominions, which is possible under the present system of communications within the Empire. For somo years now it has. been the practice to keep the Dominion Governments informed by telegram and by dispatch of all current developments of any importance in foreign affairs. That" procedure will no doubt become permanent, and whatever further steps may be taken by a Dominion to identify itself more closely with the daily administration of foreign affairs, whether by detaching a member of its Government to maintain constant liaison in London or in some other way, will be welcomed in this country. The system which has here been sketched is, broadly speaking, that now in operation. It is a com"promise in the sense that it rests on no exact or legal definition of constitutional relations. But experience has shown it on one condition to be a practicable compromise, and the difficulties which it leaves unsolved are inherent in any association of autonomous States scattered over the globe. The condition of its succes'-'ul continuance is that the meetings of .the Prime Ministers' Conference, without which a united policy for tho Empire is unattainable, should be frequent. That necessity is greater than ever at a time, such as this, of unsottlement and disorganisation, when crisis succeeds crisis and grave decisions must be taken every week. Moreover, the political changes throughout the Empire which are. the most serious obstacle to an early' conference, constitute one of the strongest arguments why one should be held, since the -value of all other forms of communication between Prime Ministers ia diminished by half if they are personally unacquainted. On all grounds it" is of urgent importance to the British Commonwealth that the Primo Ministers' Conference should meet this year."