THE IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 13145, 29 December 1908, Page 6

THE IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

The recent announcement that arrangements are being made for an Imperial Press Conference m, London next Jane has called renewed attention to a factor in the development of the British Empire, the importance of which is perhaps not sufficiently appreciated in the Mother Country. The power wielded by the newspaper Press in the British Dominions Beyond the Seas has become one of the most remarkable features of our Imperial growth. The great self-governing States of the Empire have each created a Press, which in ability, in integrity of purpose, and in enterprise may fitly be compared with the journals of any country in the world. The mere statistics of the oversea Press of the Empire only inadequately convey a sens© of its influence and its importance; yet they serve at least to indicate its remarkable expansion. In the Dominion of Canada, for instance, there' are now 1,249 newspapers,, of which 117 are published daily. In Australasia there are 1,200 journals, and in New Zealand 226. In South Africa over 100 newspapers are published in Cape Colony alone. Compared with these significant figures, the number of English newspapers in the great Dependency of India" seems comparatively few; but more than one AngloIndian journal of great' repute can claim to be older than most of the publications of Great Britain. It must be manifest that a conference which collects in the capital of the Empire the conductors of all the principal newspapers in the oversea dominions will be of no ordinary interest and value.

A conspicuous characteristic of the Imperial Press is that nowadays it is largely indigenous in every sense of the word. India, and to a more limited extent South Africa, are now the only countries among those concerned which still draw a considerable proportion of their trained journalists from England. In Canada, in Australia, and in New Zealand the newspapers are owned, directed, and written for the most part by men whose interests have always lain chiefly in those lands. Firmly though they suppore and maintain Imperial ideals, they have hitherto had no organised opportunity of getting into closer touch with their brethren in the other States of the Empire and in the Mother Country. It is in order to. bridge existing gulfs, to provide a common meeting ground, to afford an opportunity for intimate acquaintance and the interchange of ideas that the project of an Imperial Press Conference has been conceived. Its promoters want those who participate in it to know more of each other; but they more especially want them—and this is the primary object of the conference—to know more of Great Britain and its institutions, and its public and social life.

The real originator of the conference is Mr Harry E. Brittain, who, as honorary secretary of the Pilgrims' Club, has already done so mnch to promote friendly intercourse between the prominent men of the two great English-speaking races. Mr Brittain was led to formulate his proposal during a journey in Canada, last year, and on his return to London he laid his scheme before a number of gentlemen associated with the newspaper Press of Great Britain. The scheme soon gained warm approval, and a strong committee was formed to carry it into effect, including leading newspaper proprietors and journalists in the United Kingdom. "The presidents of the Institute of Journalists and of the Newspaper Society are both upon the committee. The idea is to invite about sixty of the editors of the principal newspapers in Greater Britain and India to this country as the guests of the Home Press. From the time they leave their homes until the conference is over, and during their period of their return journey, every delegate will travel as the guest of his coleagues in Great Britain. The detailed arrangements are not vet sufficiently far advanced to permit of the publication of a specific programme, but it may be briefly indicated that the Conference will assemble on or about June 7, and will last about three weeks. There will be a number of meetings at which papers will be read, probably with subsequent discucsions, on subjects of Imperial interest, particularly in regard to those aspects of journalism in which the visitors are specially interested. Such questions as those of better and cheaper cabling facilities for the Press between the different parts of the Empire will no doubt receive due attention. The sittings of the Conference are,- hoover, only to be a limited feature of the scheme, though they will have adequate importance. The hospitalitv which it is hoped to show to the visitors will range over a wide field. They will not be only by the Press of Great Britain. Official recognition will be accorded to them by the Government in an appropriate form, and many other invitations Jiave already been received from various bodies which represent the most characteristic aspects of our national life The Conference will not remain in London during the whole of its duration. Its members will be given an opportunity of inspecting a great naval base, and of seeing some of the most recent additions m the fleet It, may be hoped, also, that thev will be shown representative troops of me British Army—a most desirable feature of tlie scheme, which should not prove difficult of arrangement, They will be taken, under specially advantageous conditions to some of the chief manufacturing centres and will be enabled to learn something of our great industries, our shipbuilding .vards. our ironworks, and our textile fac tones It ls suggested, too, that a visit t°-.ii ♦? "" ght PPMiblybe undertaken *th the co-operation of the university authorities and hat the programme nrfght also include a visit to Edinburgh. The social side of the Conference will he of special significance. The visitors will it is expected, be able to meet and exchange views with many of our leading public and professional men. They will afw. before the Conference terminates, be able to see something of English country life under distinguished auspices. Such a gathering so unique in its eonwM? t n L S ° in its Possibilities, Mill, it is believed, do much to strengthen and develop the ties which bind toother the various parts of the Empire. Many conferences are nowaday* merely ioviul tous collections of people among whom very few have attained real eminence ™ their own walk of life. That will not we are assured, be the case with the Imperial SS? a c u n t re T- The delegates « ™t fno ih ' ** Ver - y nnm erous, considering he wide scope of the gathering Hardly any great city in the Empire will" send more than two representatives but each will send of their best, The choice of representahves has been left to the journahsts ,n each selected locality, in the confiednt conviction that they w U nominate men who will worthily represent assocfS "ST*" " Uh th * -e associated, lhev are certain to receive the warmest of welcomes in this countrV and the outcome of the CWeren c rZ„U be a deepening of mutual estelni anrf « gard between the Press of the 0«r«£ Empire and of the Mother Country