EMPIRE AND PRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 137, 7 December 1926, Page 16

EMPIRE AND PRESS

UNITY OF IDEALS

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

JUNNBIt TO THE PIUMK

MINISTEKK.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, yiird October

A powerful combination of the Press had the privilege of being ojio of tho iirst to entertain tho delegates to the Imperial Conference. The function took the form of a dinner at tho Savoy Hotel, under tho auspices of tho Empire Press Union, tho Newspaper Proprietors' Association, tho Newspaper Society, and tho Periodical Trade Press and Weekly Newspaper Proprietors' Association. Lord,Burnham was in the chair. On his right and left respectively were the Eight Hon. W. L. Mackenzie King, and flic Right Hon. S. M. Bruce. Mr. Amory sat next to the Canadian Premier, and the Hon. W. Ormsby-Goro next to Mr. Bruce. Mr. Coales was on tho loft of Mr. OrmsbyGore. Tho Hon. AY. S. Monroe (Premier of Newfoundland), the Mahara;jadhira,ja of Burihvnu and Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald (Minister of External Affairs, Irish Free State), were the other principal guests. The majority of the cither delegates to the Conference wore present, including Sir .Francis 8011. Others at tho principal tablo were: Mr. T. P. O'Connor, Major J. J.Astor, Lord Forster, Lord Biddell, the Earl of Stradbroke, Viscount Astor, and Sir James Parr.

Lord Burnham, in proposing "Our Guests from Oversells," welcomed them on behalf of the whole of tho newspaper and periodical Press. They wore, lie said, acclaimed by the whole orchestra of public opinion, with all its instruments of brass and wood and wind. (Laughter.) They believed that tho Imperial Conference met in a hopeful spirit. The newspaper Press was entirely at one in its faith and hope that the British Dominions would hold together and help one another. It was asked of the British. Press that in the publication of news and comment it should give the Dominions, if not a proference over foreign countries, at least an equality with foreign countries. He .heard tin Prime Minister of Australia say the other day: "What we want you to do is to publish the news all the time, whether it is good or bad." That was what the last Imperial Press Conference promised the Imperial delegations, the British newspaper Press would do its best to ensure and multiply in more liberal, or should ho say in fairer and fuller, measure in the future than hitherto. He believed that they would make good their promise, recognising that enlightened self-interest coincided in this, as in so much else, with their patriotic responsibility to the public. Tho chairman read a message from the Australian, section of the Empire Press Union, associating itself with the welcome given to the Dominion Premiers, and also one from Mr. P. Selig on behalf of the New Zealand Press.

COMMON POLITICAL LANGUAGE,

Mr. Mackenzie King, in reply, referred to the relationship between journalism and polities. In speaking of the Empire one naturally asked, he said, what was the great bond that united us. Many suggestions had been made, none of them wholly adequate. There was the suggestion that the Empire was held together through the tie of race. But one had only to bo present at the historic table at No. 10, Downing Street, and look at the gathering represented there to tfppreciate the fact that the Empire represented not one but many races. Keligion also had been suggested as the tie, but within the British Empire they had represented most of the religions of the world. The tie of common service which was also suggested was a very real one, but other nations had shared in, world service. The more one reflected the more one came to feel that the: real link of Empire was what we possessed in enjoying a common political language, the language of British Parliamentary institutions.

They not only had a national citizenship, but they had an Imperial citizenship as well, and, finally, there was a world citizenship. It was for a careful and wise interpretation in regard to theso different relationships that he pleaded that the Press should exercises a discriminating concern. The Imperial Conference provided them with a great opportunity of interpreting to each other the problems they had to face. Asa result, when they returned home they would be able to interpret better the ideals of the British Empire, of which they would come to have, a larger and truer vision. Speaking more particularly of Canada, he believed that one of the great services they could render to the Empire was to interpret its ideals to their neighbours in the United States, and at the same time they could interpret American ideals to the British Empire.

NO DANGER OF DISINTEGRATION.

Mr. Bruce, the Prime Minister of Australia, said that the first time the Dominion Premiers met jointly at dinner it. was singularly appropriate that they should be the guests of the Empire Press. There should be a realisation by all British people how great was their obligation and opportunity to-day to go forward with a- new spirit and ensure the accomplishment of those thing 3 which had defeated their efforts in the past.

The creation of that spirit was in the hands of the Press of the Empire. He appealed to the Press to give the nation and the Empire the same help they gave in. the dark and perilous hours of the war. There was no danger of the disintegration1 of the Empire. They all felt the obligation of holding the British Empire together in the interests of. the world, and they were determined to carry it out.

'/"Wo in Australia," said Mr. Bruce, in conclusion, "stand firmly and determinedly for our own rights, our own autonomy, our own self-governing privileges, and we will lead any fight that has got to be carried on to ensure that they are never taken away from us and not interfered with. But when it come 3 to a question of the Empire or the British people against any other nation in the world, then we are going to be one and united and fight anything and everything that might be suggested would lead to any breaking-up of this great creation which to-day is the one stable force in the world for promoting and. assisting to ensure the world's peace."

INTERCHANGE OF VISITS.

Mr. Coatos, in his reply, recalled the recent visit of the Empire Press Union delegates to New Zealand." {

"I want to toll you how much the people in New Zealand appreciated that visit. We in return come here to learn. We get into the atmosphere which was responsible for the formation of the Empire. We see what lies before us, and we know that jt rests with us to make the Empire what wo all want it to be. There is no doubt that a great deal of good can be done by these interchanges of visits, and we were exceedingly pleased to have had tho members of tho Press Union in our country. New Zealand appreciates very sincerely the faithful reports that we got in the newspapers of the Empire when the delegates returned to their respective homes. While the different Dominions issue pamphlets and books which give the public an opportunity of knowing the life that is lived in these different parts of the Empire,

these pamphlets only go a certain distance, and it in on the Press that we havo to rely to convey to tho reading public what in actually taking place. We appreciate most sincerely the work that tho British Press has begun and what it is doing."

Mr. Coatcs extended an invitation to Kis listeners to visit New Zealand. "If tho peoplo of this country are feeling that their nerves are somewhat racked and they really want a change and would like to regain their health, may I Bay, aiming very nice people, may I welcome them to Now Zealand and lo our shores." Mr, Coatcs also referred with pleasure to the likelihood of the Press Congress of tho world choosing New Zealand for its next moeting-place in 1929.

Tho Maharajah of Burdwan, replying for India, said that it was undoubtedly a great achievement of the British race that thero' was a greater England to-day, but the achievement would only be complete when they could make the Indian Empiro, whicli roally was the contral part of the British Empire, a real living force for good, and holp to make its people roalise that India had all their help and good will. He hoped the day was not far distant whon an Imperial Press Conforenco might be possible in India.