Grey River Argus SATURDAY, May 11, 1935. DOMINIONS AND FOREIGN POLICY.

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1935, Page 4

Grey River Argus SATURDAY, May 11, 1935. DOMINIONS AND FOREIGN POLICY.

It will be for Mr Forbes on his return to explain the news that Britain is being enabled to take swift decisions on foreign affairs without awaiting Dominion consent. Usually the New Zealand Government leaves the people to guess, from oversea press news, what is the relation of this country to Empire foreign policy. When lately in Canada Mr Forbes went so far as to declare there was no need for public discussions on the matter. Rightly, he was taken to task in several quarters for this. The press cables are decidedly indefinite as to the discussions now proceeding at London, although it is admitted South Africa and Australia, in particular, demur at the tendency to outlaw Germany, while all Dominioss are against the consolidation of an anti-Ger-man bloc. When the British people are being trained how to act in the event of air raids, and every European country seems to be speeding up in a disarmament race, it is only natural for Dominion representatives seriously to take stock of what are termed the “sudden changes in the European scene.” It is stated that the right of refusing to ratify any decision likely to involve smaller communities is being retained by the Dominions, which, in allowing a free hand to the British Government to act, refuse to be committed without being consulted in cases of emergency. That the new plan involves any changes, therefore, does not appear to be. clear. But, if so, it should be made clear. Ther e is some reason to credit the South African and Australian view that since the Stresa Conference, conciliation in Europe is not so much the aim as security, the assumption being that it is hopeless to expect to mollify Germany. It has been claimed ’hat the Stresa Conference justified the collective diplomacy which has for a long time past seen envoys from several pountries travelling about in a welter of publicity. Yet the outcome is meantime far more a pre-occupa-

tion with re-armament than with] conciliation. The French have not. shown their usual penetration in having the League make an official condemnation of Germany for a breach of the \ ersailles Treaty. That agreement had already been broken so far as German armaments went, but the reaction of Britain ami France against Germany just before the Rome Pact was being submitted to her. did much to precipitate *he open German avowal of geneitil re-armament on land and sea and in the air. It might be risky to presume that Germany would not exceed the ' armament- limits implied by . equality, but from a purely argumentative point of view, she has a eas,. as good at least as lit critics just now. The latest French mission to Warsaw and to Moscow is secret, but it is a sidelight on the French claim of a willingness to come 1o t,rm> with Germany regarding a limit or air armament. While the Dominion Premiers are stated 1 have taken a strong stand against the Empire adopting in Europe an isolationist policy, and to have agreed Germany must share re

sponsibility for the uneasiness existing, as a result of her recent decisions, they favour the earliest possible resumption of negotiations with Germany, regarding her co-operation as indispensable fop any European peace scheme. On the other hand, the British Government points out that, under the Locarno Treaty, it is obliged to go to the assistance of France, with the whole of its armed forces, in the event of such a thing as any alteration by Germany of the zone which was demilitarized under the Treaty of Versailles. Only a couple of days ago. Germany advised the Western Powers that she is dissatisfied with the present proviso for that zone remaining demilitarised. Hence, it may be regarded as a real danger spot because Britain at th e Stresa Conference reaffirmed in a resolution adopted that she will stand by her Locarno obligation to assist France if Germany alters this demilitarised zone. The importance of renewing overtures for Germany to

come into a security agreement is emphasised by a risk such as this one. The Germans say that he League Council’s condemnation of theii re-armament as a Treaty breach has closed the door to negotiation, and made remote the possibility of Germany returning to the League. They consider the matters as to which Germany was condemned were settled with Herr Hitler

when the British Ministers conferred recently with him. Why a definition of the Dominion position by Mr Forbes on his return is desirable is indicated by nothing so well as the comment from Berlin, on the Stresa Confeneee outcome by Mr Ward Price. He says: “Europe has reached a dangerous deadlock. The only Power that will benefit from the activities of the past ten days will be Russia, whose main business under M. Ltivinoff’s influence is the registration of new military alliances. All other countries will be worse off. The Stresa negotiations have not reduced armaments by a single rifle, but have merely put back the clock of understanding between Germany’ and the Western Powers, without which peace is impossible.”