Imperial Policy Debate

Northern Advocate, 24 April 1944, Page 2

Imperial Policy Debate

LONDON, April 21

Resuming the debate on Imperial policy in the House of Commons. Mr Leslie Hove Belisha said that judged by standards of population and resources, it was obvious that neither Britain nor the Dominions would be able separately to stand on the same level as Russia and America. Some means, therefore, were sought for consolidating the Empire to enable a number of separate countries to act with the spontaneity, coherence and efficiency of a single body. Canada could not belong to any organisation bringing her in conflict with America. “It is possiblee to achieve close functional union with the Empire while retaining association with America and others. We may be assured there is no question of abandoning the principle of Imperial reciprocity, and that, the Empire remain for all economic purposes a single economic unit.” Mr Wedderburn said that when om Pacific possessions fell to Japan, critics talked of the effete British as too lazy to defend their Empire and deserving to lose it. “If we are going to be abused it is better to be abused for being strong. (Cheers.) We must be in a constant state of readiness to combat aggression and defend peace. Parliament must not allow a repetition of what happened in the 1920 s when the Empire was starved of capital and hundreds of millions of pounds lent to Germany.” Sir Herbert Williams said he was glad there had been some straight talking about America. The cause of almost all difficulty between Britain and America had been that we had been too polite and not frank. America had resented the Ottawa Agreement. “We should make it clear tc America that we regard it as improper that they should comment on our