VOICES IN HARMONY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 31, 6 February 1940, Page 8

VOICES IN HARMONY

"We believe we must leave no stone unturned to see that the individual voices of the British Commonwealth are heard in the principal foreign capitals," said Mr. R. G. Casey, first Australian Minister designate to Washington. Australia, Mr. Casey said, was sending him abroad to initiate this departure. The plan has its advantages. The overseas Dominions have new ideas and new problems. It is quite possible that they may contribute something useful, both in the improvement of their own relationships with other countries an<i in the interpretation of British sentiment as it is underStood in tlfli outer parts of the

Empire. But there is also a risk in the experiment. If the individual voices of the British Commonwealth are heard in foreign capitals it is highly desirable that they should be in reasonable harmony. It would be of.no benefit, and might be positively harmful, if discord were to develop. The danger of this has been apparent in separate representation at Geneva, but it would be greatly intensified if a situation were created in which foreign diplomacy was invited to play off one part of the Commonwealth against another. To secure the greatest good from the new system and avoid the harm, it is evident that, as foreign representation is extended, consultation between the members of the Commonwealth should be further developed to guard against conflicting instructions being given to different Ministers. The closest consultation between the various Ministers in each foreign capital should also be maintained. In seeking to secure recognition of their individual status the member States must always remember that the great strength of the Commonwealth is derived from its unity.