UNITED IN PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 68, 17 September 1925, Page 4

UNITED IN PEACE

EMPIRE SERVICE (LEAGUE

MIQBATION AND WEALTH.

(»t uuaairi.— itioiAi » m Mit.i

AUCKLAND, This Day. Australia's delegates, the Hon. James Cornell, M.L.C., West Australia, and Mr. E. S. Duggin, Adelaide/to the conference of the ' British Empire Sdrvice ; League, recently held in Ottawa, are returning by the Niagara. New Zealand's representative wag Sir Andrew Hussell, and in Captain Donald Simson, honorary organising secretary* New Zealand, may claim another representative. The -league^ of which 'Field-Marshal Earl Haig is* grand, president, was brought, into being at Capetown, its real pioneer being the South Afrioan League of Comrades, and ithae had a remarkable effect in promoting unity among soldier organisations in various countries. Its chairman at the Ottawa gathering, the second biennial conference, was Mr. T. F. Lister, whose rank in the war was ' that of bombardier. ' The Australian delegates, in an interview while in Auckland, tyew strong in the conviction that th» only alliance upon which future security may 1 be staked is one between the British Empire and the United States, and one gathered the impression from their conversation that the alliance in thought is rapidly developing'between ex-soldiers of the English-speaking races, and i§ paving the way for a national rap-; proohement. They spoke of the "real" Americans they had constantly met during the five weeks they spent in the United States, just as New Zealanders are now speaking, of the "real" Americans their fleet brought to these shores,, and mentioned as exception! the type represented by an American who drove a car into Quebec with two American flags flying at the front and the Union Jack dragging in the mad behind. ' '":. The two chief subjects dealt with at the conference were immigration and the conscription of' wealth as well as manhood during war. There was no division of opinion among the delegates of Canada, Australia, and New Zealaftd, the three Dominions whch offered' the greatest hope of relief to England on the question of immigration. ■ All expressed the view that their countries were desirous to assist Britain to transplant part of her surplus population, but were emphatio on these points, that the corollary of taking part, of the surplus population .of Britain was that some of the surplus aggregate wealth of Britain - should go withy them; that there was no use placing the emigrating population on the land unless Britain offered adequate markets for primary production ; and that no matter how much the Dominions desired to assist the Motherland in her problem of unemployment it would be wrong to take more immigrants than the countries could economically absorb, because it would * be unfair: to the.new arrivals as well m to the people already residing there. • The : English delegates accepted /these principle*, but •ought for information. . .. ■." '■:."'■ Mr. Cornell remarked that the general, ignorance of the men of the Northern Hemisphere about the countries of the Southern: Hemisphere: was as 'noticed able as the knowledge of Southerners about the North.; One point upon, which information was sought wag why there : ■had been practically no call by the Do-' minions upon the money set aside fcr .overseas settlement. ..They had been under • the impression that. organisations complementary to the Overseas Settlement Board of Britain were operating in the Dominions, and Australians for their part said that such ah organisation was a myth, and that if the whole scheme had been barren of result the faults lay at both ends. A . '■■.

The Australians explained tome of the difficulties, of the Australian States where finance had to be found, not only for. providing advances for settlers,; but also for means <of transportation and for water; conservation. "■• Another Australian point that was well taken was that no schemeVof, immigration - should be confined exclusively to primary production/but; land settlement should be co-ordinated with the; development of secondary industry.- By thu means British capital that was expended would not only guarantee an increase in food, wool, and other supplies, but also; would, create a greater local market,-which naturally would improve the valu» of the ■eourity. ■ : *.'•■■ .'; '■•,/.'.'■ ".'■'./•■■■' ■■■".'; '■ It was mentioned -by the : Canadians that American and not British. capital was developing the industry of Canada. A resolution was carried which expressed profound disappointment at the results achieved under; the immigration scheme, and reaffirmed the belief in immigration upon organised lines, and it was decided that the' league should set up an immigration department to gather information .and investigate' and decide on: a policy ■-. toward speeding. np minimi-" gration. '• .. '.■..■>■'■■:- .'.■'.: ■ ■[.'.} '■,' ■' A resolution affirming that upon the declaration of war there should be simultaneous '/conscription of men and wealth wai prese.hted by the Canadian delegates, whose object; seemed to be the creation of another influence against war. Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa supported the resolution, but it was not submitted to the vote, 7 seeing that few of the delegates had received instructions upon the point; from their organisations. - •' .•".;' : . '