IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 19385, 20 October 1926, Page 5

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

M!M INDEPENDENCE LABOR VIEW EXPOUNDED PAINTER QUIETLY DROPPED. Press Association —By Telegraph-Copyright. LONDON, October 18. On tbs eve of tbo Imperial Conference it is intcresl&ig to not© tbo Labor view as it is expounded by an editorial in the ‘Daily Herald,’ which declares: “ The conference is confronted with a series of problems which its forerunners created. To-day at least three dominions have freed themselves from every vestige of direct control of policy by Downing Street. To-day at least three dominions are claiming a status which is that of fully independent sovereign States, free to make war though the Motherland remains at peace, and vice versa, and free to carry on their own diplomacy and make treaties and alliances without the Mother Country. This claim cannot be denied without provoking storms which in their consequence cannot be foreseen; yet onoe it is conceded, what becomes of the Empire?” The ‘Herald’ adds; “The painter has not been cut. It has just been quietly dropped.” SEPARATION QUESTION. FREE STATE’S ATTITUDE. FRENCH PRESS COMMENT.

LONDON, October 18. Unless the conference after Mr Baldwin’s welcome to-morrow and brief replies by the Prime Minister decides otherwise, it is expected that matters connected with the dominions and Colonial Offices will engage its attention. . . Writers have been basing their preliminary conference comments on the assumption that the Irish Free State and South Africa intend raking the Issue of the independence of tlio dominions in an embarrassing—oven a_ separatist—form; bat it is now reliably stated that, so far as Ireland is concerned, an extreme) policy is not contemplated. Ireland, it is said, has learned, since she was granted a Constitution with the right of interempire intercourse, chat there is a more tactful way of asserting her rights, and one more likely progressively to yield small results which, in their ultimate balk, will satisfy her aspirations. _ Ireland’s aspirations are soid to consist chiefly of a desire for autonomy with the widest degree of independence, but within the British union, both for geographical and international reasons. Furthermore. Ireland appreciates as much its the other dominions the delicate possibilities of an independent course in foreign affairs, which the critics _ agree is going to be one of the most difficult problems of the conference. Newspaper comments in Parks emphasise titj sup;>o.scO differences of the various dominions, and take it for granted that Southern Ireland is definitely separatist; that General Hertzog means to embarrass the Imperial Government; that Mr Mackenzie King is a dangerous Radical; and iliac only Australia and New Zealand wish to remain in the Umpire, and that is because of their fear of the Japanese. ‘ La Lilserie,’ however, warns Frenchmen tiiat it is foolish to rejoice over the crcakings of the structure of the British Empire, which is still one of the great conservative forces of the world, if it broke up, the way would be free for Bolshevism in Asia. If the British Navy were condemned to impotence piracy on the high seas would quickly reappear. ■ La Temps ’ also warns its readers against the Cassandras, stating that it is wiser to steer a middle course between the exaggerations of malevolent loreign onlookers and the gaping optimism of London patriots. THE GOSfEKBICE OPENS LOYAL RESOLUTION PASSED MU BALDWIN’S SPEECH.

LONDON, October 19. (Received October 20, at 9.55 a.m.) Mr Baldwin presided at the opening of the Imperial Conference, and welcomed the delegates on behalf of the Imperial Government. Mr Mackenzie King (Canada) replied, and Mr S. M. Bruco (Australia), Mr J. G. Coates (Now Zealand), General Hortzog (South Africa), Mr W, S. Mtmroo (Newfoundland), Mr W. G. Co.sgra.ve (Irish Free State), Mr H. Burdwan (India), and Mr L. S. Amery (Secrctary of State for Die Dominions) followed.

The conference then opened its business, the members standing, when the following resolution was passed: The Prime Ministers and representatives of the Governments of the British Empire in conference at the first meeting, and as the first official act, respectfully presents. greetings and fidelity to Your Majesty, and earnestly hopes that you and Her Majesty the Queen will bo long spared ■to strengthen the ties of devotion and unity of the British peoples in the British Commonwealth under the Crown. The conference arranged for publicity similar to the 1925 meeting, and further agreed to a joint secretariat. Mr Baldwin paid a tribute to the memory of Mr Massey and Herd Curzon, both of whom, ho said, had made great contributions to Die previous Imperial Conferences. Mr Baldwin recalled the work of the previous conferences in changing and developing the relations of the component parts of the Empire. He indicated that the present discussions would cover the entire Ini|)crial and Intei-imperial policy, with a view to discovering how the dominions could knit more closely one another and the Mother Country, and how means of communication and consultation could be made more effective, trade increased, and economic possibilities mutually developed.