A Cordial Response

Evening Star, Issue 19386, 21 October 1926, Page 2

A Cordial Response

LONDON, October 20. Mr Baldwin, in his inaugural speech, said: “I have heard a suggestion that little is accomplished at those gatherings. The resolutions passed at the earlier conferences have been described ns generalities and platitudes. Thif is apparently due tq a failure to study sufficiently their aims and achievements, because since the first Colonial Conference in 1887 much has been accomplished. If that conference had not been held the changes of the past forty years would not have contributed to the fundamental unity ard strength of the Empire which was displayed in the Great War.

“ Tho necessity for adjustin'; interimperial _ relations,” continued the Prime Minister, “ Ims been most conspicuous jn tho sphere of foreign policy. Already we have gone some way to meet tho problem of how to reconcile tho principle of self-government, both in external and domestic affairs, with tho necessity for a policy commending itself to the various Governments and Parliaments on foreign questions which aro of general Imperial concern. “Respecting Imperial defence, there has been steady progress towards an improvement of tho facilities for cooperation. I warmly welcome India’s establishment of a navy. We shall confer at tho end of the year with tho Fro© State with a view to its undertaking a share of its own coastal defence. Our navies will continue to bo ono of tho strongest bonds uniting us. Much also has been done to facilitate the co-operation of the land forces; Formations are being organised nil over tho Empire on lines that are generally similar, and corresponding methods aro securing contact and cooperation in the Air Forces. _ “ In the sphere of trade and migration a striking result of recent conferences has been tho institution of joint Imperial bodies surveying particular aspects of tho Empire’s economic relations—notably, tho Imperial Shipping and tho Imperial Economic Committees of tho Imperial Institute. We have been able even since tho war to maintain the flow of investments which is so important for overseas development. Tho Empire settlement problem is essentially one of co-operation. Imperial Preference, supplemented by the operations of tho Empire Marketing Board, wall increase tho flow of interimperial trade. Tho Wembley Exhibition proved the immense future possibilities of tho Empire. I am glad that the continuance of the work of tho War Graves Commission has been ensured by an endowment fund. “Tho establishment of a separate Dominions’ Office in tho Homo Government will greatly facilitate its relations with the Dominion Governments.” Mr Baldwin emphasised tho value of the Empire Parliamentary Association, university facilities for overseas students, Rhodes scholarships, and tho innumerable social tics. “ My attitude,” ho said, “ is not one of satisfied complacency. Wo have not reached finality in our relations. The conference must locate tho weak places and do its utmost to strengthen them, particularly in connection with communication and consultation between tho Empire Governments, which, perhaps, is tho most important problem in tho region of foreign affairs. Wo nnist examine tho results of tho system of informing dominion Prime Ministers on world polities with a view to developing it, and_ also developing the supply of information in tho reverse direction. Tho most pressing problem is to increase tho opportunities for personal discussion, which are at present insufficient, particularly in relation to matters of major importance in foreign affairs. There is urgent need also for constant co-operation in defence. The Government*! should give full practical encouragement to tho development of intorimperial trade. Effective co-operation will produce results out of all proportion to what wo can severally achieve. Wo can best faco onr problems in the spirit of St. Augustine’s phraso: ‘ln essentials, unity; in nonessentials. liberty; in all things, charity.’

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