FAMILY GATHERING

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 9

FAMILY GATHERING

VISITORS FROM DOMINIONS [From Ooe Oorrespondekt.] £Bt Air Mail.] LONDON, March 31. In an editorial headed * A Family Gathering,’ ‘ The Times ’ this morning refers to the arrival in London of Dominion Ministers and members of Parliament to take part in the ceremonies of May 12, and afterwards in the Imperial Conference and conference of the Empire Parliamentary Association, and emphasises the value of Imperial discussions. . , Mr Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia, and Mr Savage, of New Zealand, have started, accompanied by several of their colleagues, states ‘ The Times.’ They have both been preceded by their Treasurers. Mr Nash, the New Zealand Finance Minister, has been in England for some months discussing questions of trade with the British authorities ; while Mr B. G. Casey, who is so well known in London that it. is difficult to think of him as a visitor, arrived 10 days ago. Mr Forgan Smith, the Queensland Premier, coming by air in order to be in time for the Sugar Conference, in which his State is vitally interested, landed in London a few days ago as the first of the Australian State representatives. The Prime Ministers and other delegates from the less distant dominions are already preparing for their departure and for the family consultation between the Governments of the Empire which will follow the. Coronation. It is now five years since the last Imperial Conference met in Ottawa, two years after the preceding conference in London. The 1930 gathering was concerned mainly with the constitutional relations between the dominions and the Mother Country, discussing the declaration of 1926. aUd preparing the way for the Statute of Westminster. The Ottawa Conference of 1932 was devoted to questions of trade, and produced agreements which have stimulated to a remarkable degree the interchange of goods between the countries of the British Commonwealth. This year other and even graver matters will be in the forefront of the discussion, recalling the great conference of 1911, when the Governments of the Empire met together to take stock of them position and resources in view of the increasing tension in international politics. Constitutional questions and questions of trade will necessarily figure in the discussions, but will not dominate them (the editorial continues). As regards the first, the dominions have now been of age for some years, and both sides have become accustomed to the new relationship. Improvements in technique and in methods of communication may be needed to ensure, where necessary, co-ordination of action between partners equal in rights and status, but no new; definitions are needed.

The recent abdication crisis showed that, even with the existing machinery, incomplete as it may be, speedy and effective action can be taken in common when the Governments and peoples of the Empire are moved by a common purpose, are animated by the same feelings, and are inspired by the same ideals. Unity of action depends now and in the future upon preserving this community of thought, feeling, and tradition. Where it is lacking no constitutional machinery, however perfect on paper, can take its place. And the best way of strengthening it, the only practicable basis for useful co-opera-tion, is by seizing every opportunity for co-operative work for the common benefit of those taking part in it. So far as trade relations are concerned it has been decided that such modifications as experience shows to be needed in the Ottawa agreements can . best be secured by separate negotiations, not through a general conference. Anglo-Australian trade has been the subject. of constant discussions with Australian Ministers and other reEresentatives in London. Mr Nash as been engaged for some weeks past in seeking with the Board of Trade and the Dominions Office tho means for ensuring a steady development of mutual trade between Great Britain and New® Zealand. The recent visit of Mr Mackenzie King and Mr Dunning brought about a revision of the trade agreement which has given great satisfaction to British traders, removing longstanding grievances and giving British goods opportunities in the Canadian market which correspond more fairly with those enjoyed by Canadian goods in this country. Such discussion of commercial matters as the pending conference will attempt will be directed to more general questions, such as shipping policy, the development of air communications, and the working of the Imperial Economic Committee and other joint organisations for promoting economic development. Consideration may be given to come constitutional questions relating to nationality, treaty procedure, tbe international status of members of tbe British Commonwealth, and the channels of communication between them. But the circumstances in which the conference. is meeting make it inevitable that foreign affairs and defence will dominate the discussion.

Much as in 1911, there are menacing developments in international politics which compel the Governments of the Commonwealth to take careful stock of their situation, to consider the dangers which threaten the peace of the world, and with that peace the interests, material as well as ideal, of the British nations, to discuss how they can best shape their policies to meet these dangers, and how to strengthen the defences which are required to protect their common interests, states the writer. On fundamentals. they are all agreed. They all believe in the settlement of international, differences by discussion and arbitration. They would all bo glad to rule out resort to force. They all desire to promote recovery by economic and political agreements, and they all look forward to the time when disarmament will become a practicable objective. • In conclusion, tbe article points out that so far as there were any divergences, they were the result not of differences of outlook, but. of differences in geographical situation. Such differences made inevitable differences in the perspective with which events in the various parts of the world were regarded. They made it the more necessary that in times such as the present all the Governments should take 'counsel together to compare views and information and to coordinate policies and defensive .programmes to the best common advantage.