FOREIGN POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 13, 15 July 1936, Page 11

FOREIGN POLICY

BRITISH COUNTRIES

CONFERENCE NEEDED?

DISCUSSION IN COMMONS

(Received July 15, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, July 14. In reply to a suggestion in the House of .Commons by LieutenantCommander R. T. H. Fletcher (Labour, Nuneaton) that the Prime Minister (Mr. Stanley Baldwin) should invite the Dominion Prime Ministers to a conference for the purpose of framing a comprehensive British Commonwealth foreign policy, the Home Secretary (Sir John Simon) said that the Imperial Conference in .' 1937 would provide an opportunity for discussion. In the meantime the opportunity was always taken to discuss foreign affairs when representatives of the Dominions were in London.

Lieut.-Commander Fletcher insisted that a special effort was necessary to bring the British and the Dominions' policy into line .in view of the grave discrepancies. He gave as an instance the attitude of South Africa. ( Sir John Simon replied that the importance of the matter was fully understood but the practical difficulties had to be borne in mind.

Mr. H. Day* (Labour, Central Southwark) suggested that British Ministers should make visits to the Dominions in view of the increasing export trade giving relief to unemployment.

Sir John Simon: Ministers from Australia and Canada are here now, and others are coming in 1937. The Marquess of Hartington will be going to Australia and New Zealand.