LONDON CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25170, 9 May 1944, Page 4

LONDON CONFERENCE

REVIEW OF FIRST WEEK DIVIDED VIEWS ON SECRETARIAT (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 8. The Prime Ministers' conference, after the h'rst week's meetings, followed the expected course. There have been no sensational developments. The talks followed an informal agenda, and the general outcome has been to arouse great interest by the people of Britain in the Empire, and their deeper appreciation of its war effort. Abroad, it may safely be stated that it has had the effect of emphasising the unity of the Kinpire, and its standing as a.world power vis-a-vis the United States auu Russia. One of the chief topics in which interest is taken here is what the conference's views will 'be on Mr Curtin's proposals for some kind of secretariat to ensure closer relationship, and, while this has been debated in the newspapers and in private conversation, the one place where it has not been discussed thus far has been the. conference itself. This is not because there is any reluctance to do so, but rather because it is the kind of question that can bo debated, if necessary, after full deliberations on other subjects in which will be given an indication of the various viewpoints of the Empire. Thus far the only public announcements on the subject are answers to questions by Mr Curtin and Mr Eraser at their Press conferences.

Mr 'Mackenzie King and FieldMarshal Smuts are expected to give Press conferences, and it is known that they support Mr Fraser's viewpoint. MR CURTIN'S BROTHERS. It can be taken for granted that whatever the majority of the dominion Prime Ministers desire on this question Britain will agree to; and, on the present face of things, it seems, despite Mr Curtin's comment, "If I cannot have four brothers, then I will try to have three," that he may eventually have none. For the purpose of the records it may here be useful to give Mr Curtin's and Mr Fraser's comments fully:— Mr Curtin: "As 1 see it the liritish Government's Foreign Office is now in the very nature of things the Government, and the office that, from tho standpoint of the Commonwealth, knows most about Europe and is most intimately associated with the problems of Europe. J3ut those problems are so complicated and have such implications that it is in Europe that the situations develop whioh lead to* wars in which the Empire is engaged. Although ■ Australia has the ngnt to say whether it should come into the war or not, if the King of Britain and Australia is at war, then the enemy may decide the matter for lis. As a practical matter, when any part of the Empire is at war the Commonwealth as a whole is involved. It is quite clear that the problems of the world call for a sharing of responsibility by all who are affected by the decisions. t The would is a very large place, ana uve believe that there are some aspects of. the problems in certain regions m which the Australian Government may be better informed, and perhaps better qualified, to give advice as to what should not be done. . As we do not know where the bad patches may be we feel that the British Com-, monwealth of Nations, as it is, is the, very best and most effective structure' for world and regional security that the world has known." Mr Curtin also thought that as Governments came and went an organised secretariat would provide continuity in the study of world problems ' which might otherwise bo lost. "If any other dominion opposes my scheme as a whole, 1 will still tryto get what I can. If I cannot have four brothers, I will still try to have three. I want consultations of Prime Ministers to be more frequent; and 1 want those consultations to have their interval's studded by frequent interchanges of information, so that when a problem arises it does not come like a bolt from the blue." He added that what he wanted was better machinery for consultation. 'Collaboration and consultation had been much better during the war than before. Ho had no complaint whatever regarding the consultations between his country and its Allies since, the war began.

MR FRASER IN FAVOUR. •Mr Fraser said: "If a secretariat will do the job and bring the component parts of the Commonwealth mora closely together—they are very close now—then I am for it. Show me that it is beneficial and then I will support it." He had nothing but praise for the way in which consultation had been arranged and maintained during the war—in strategy, in foreign affairs, in commercial and supply problems. He recognised that instantaneous decisions had to be taken in London, as they had in Wellington. " But on 99.9 per cent, of all matters of Commonwealth concern there has been not simply full information sent to us through the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Dominions' Offices; more important, there has been ample time for full consultation within our own Cabinet, and with the other interested dominions before a reply was needed." For the future he looked forward to more frequent meetings among Commonwealth Prime Ministers, or between their Ministers of Internal Affairs. That was the ideal all desired to reach, but Mr Fraser added a word of warning: The mechanical side was often less easy to arrange. Elections might be imminent in one or other of the dominions, or illness might intervene. Asked whether he thought some of the dominions might arrange to form a secretariat, even if another, hesitated to join, Mr Fraser said the Prime Ministers, as good democrats, would abide by the majority decision. " But the best Cabinets and the best gatherings of partners do not work by simple majorities. They discuss all question thoroughly, and come to an agreed solution, and that is what I expect this conference to do."

Tt is apparent from these remarks that both Mr Curtin and Mr Fraser are satisfied with the methods of wartime consultation, and therefore it in likely that if they were continued nftei the war, and more frequent meetings of the Prime. Ministers held—which all state they desire—then a secretariat may not be required.