AFFAIRS OF EMPIRE

Evening Star, Issue 19330, 17 August 1926, Page 10

AFFAIRS OF EMPIRE

STATUS OF DOMINIONS THE CCBIHG COHFEBESCE The views of the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr S. M. Bruce, in regard to the status of the dominions in regard to Empire affairs were expressed in a recent speech in tho Australian House of Representatives. The speech was delivered primarily to set out the policy that ho would enunciate at the forthcoming Imperial Conference. Mr Bruce exclaimed with conviction: “ The Empire has to-day reached the turning point in Imperial relations, Imperial defence, and imperial economic policy.” Passing on to new doctrines and proposals put forward by dominion Ministers, Mr Bruce said that what' was actually sought amounted to a declaration asserting the international independence of the dominions, and claiming the recognition of them as separate international units. “ Such a declaration,” exclaimed the Prime Minister, ‘‘would be consistent with the maintenance of tho Empire if the Empire consisted of a number of independent nations, bound together in some particularly close form of alliance: but it is not reconcilable with the maintenance of the Empire as it is—a single nation, and a united whole. It is important to remember that no other nation would for a moment consider the possibility of allowing some section of its nationals to claim or to receive an independent international status. “It would be perfectly obvious that such a step meant the breaking up ol that nation. Looking at the matter in another way’, can anyone maintain that tho preservation of genuine Imperial unity is compatible with the possibility of one part of the Empire standing aside when the rest is engaged in a life and death struggle? If such a possibility is not contemplated by the new proposals, then I fail to see what is contemplated ; and if this is the position which the advocates of change have in mind, then f sav that it means the disintegration of the British Empire, and that Australia can have no part in it. VOICE OF THE DOMINIONS.

“ Australia’s aim must bo a closer linking together of the self-governing portions of the Empire, with as full a recognition of the independent status of the self-governing parts as is compatible with tho recognition of our universal British nationality, and compatible wdth the promotion of the closest possible relations between all the English-speaking peoples.” Mr Bruce, continuing, said that if the Powers of the world recognised the dominions as fully independent nations a dominion would henceforth be regarded as not forming pert of the British Empire: it would have to undertake the conduct of its own foreign relations; it would have to provide adequate diplomatic protection for its own citizens: it would be free to enter into treaties with foreign States, and would thus become solely responsible for their execution; it would have to make provision for its own defence; it could enter into a defensive arrangement with another country providing for aid on a reciprocal basis according to recognised principles. But if it received unilateral protection from another country it would como within the category of protected States, and thus automatically lose tho independent personality which it had striven to attain.

Mr Bruce explained that_ the dominions’ claim for a voice in foreign policy had been freely granted by Great Britain, and tho necessary machinery had been created. Flo could see no' difficulty with regard to satisfactory consultation on all the ordinary questions of foreign policy which might arise in the normal course of events. Whether a dominion is really being kept adequately informed, and was really making its opinion felt in tho shaping of Empire’s policy, depended upon the dominion itself and the steps which it took to set up the necessary machinery for utilising to He fAI tlit? opportunities provided by the British Foreign Office

QUESTION FOR THE CONFERENCE “ The Government, however,” added Air Bruce, “does not propose to submit to Parliament at the present time a resolution either approving or disapproving ol the ratification of tho Locarno Treaty of Mutual Guarantee. At the imperial Conference the question of the attitude of the dominions towards obligations entered into by Britain with foreign Powers will be one of the major questions for discussion. Their position towards tho Locarno Treaty will also come, under review, and it is undesirable that definite action should lie taken by any part of the Empire until the matter has been fully considered by the representatives of all parts. “Jt is desirable, however, that the views of members should be expressed upon tho question, so that when it is under consideration at the Imperial Conference T shall have had the advantage of hearing them. I therefore ask the House to consider this question, but not to come to any decision, and 1 give my assurance that Australia will not lie committed to the ratification of tho Locarno Treaty unless and until such .ratification has boon approved by this Parliament. “ I now desire to turn to the question of Imperial defence. The attitude of Australia might well he summarised by saying that we believe that the local defence of each portion of the Empire, is primarily a matter of local concern, but that this principle can and must be applied in conformity with a general plan of Imperial co-operation. Whether Australia, in view of the very ereat commitments she lias already entered inlo, can do anything further is a question for consideration in iHe future by this and can only be determined in relation fo our future financial position.”