GENERAL SMUTS’S WARNING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 18 July 1925, Page 6

GENERAL SMUTS’S WARNING

THE exceedingly serious words which have fallen from the mouth of General Smuts in reference to the proposed enhance. of Britain into a Security Pact with Germany and France, in the teeth of the clearly-expressed disaproval of ( tlier self-governing States of the Empire. should cause British politicians to review the policy of their Foreign Secret a r\. General Smuts's loyalty to tho Empire is notorious. He was also one of the staunchest creators of the League of Nations. He- has been true to the Empire in war and in peace. Therefore, when he solemnly warns tho British, Government that it is endangering tho fabric of the Empire by entering into tin- proposed Security Pact, irrespective of the opinion of the outer Empire, it is because lie sincerely believes that the eontmplnted step will strain tho unity of the Empire. Though the cabled precis of his, speech is of the slightest, it would appear that tho great South African statesman infei’9 that if Britain may to-day enter into a pact which may ultimately ead to her going i.i war on tho Continent of Europe, irrespective of the rest of the Empire, it follows that in the future any •self-gov-erning part of the Empire may enter into .such commit merits as may cause it i.i go to war. irrespective of the rest of the Empire; and so the unity of the Empire may he threatened. There is much strength in that argument, because if Britain to-day runs counter to the rest of the self-governing States of the Empire, in committing herself to a Europe,an Continental Security Pact, she will not he in a position to object if one or all of the self-governing Dominions 'subsequently should enter into a similar Pact with nations in other parts of the world, without consulting the Government at Westminster. While it is not to lie emiteded for a moment that the Dominions should control Britain’s foreign policy, nevertheless it is remarkalile that the British Foreign Secretary should persist in his European policy, wit limit calling the Dominions’ Premiers In London, lie has distinctly stated that it is his intention to pursue his policy in regard to the Security Pact, though the Dominions do not endorse it; that Britain mav sign the Pact and the DomiinV.'iis may refuse to sign it. l.i other words, the British Foreign Secretary i.an definitely decided to pursue the course lie has marked out for himself. Now comes Get cm! Sinuts’s exceedingly serious warning. It will he interesting to see what effect it will have upon the somewhat self-sufficient British Foreign Secretary. It will he interesting to see how it is received by the British people. When such a staunch Imperialist, as

General Smuts cries “Breakers ahead!” it means that danger is not far distant ; that he sees that danger, and that it is not too late to avert it. Will the comparatively inexperienced Foreign Secretary iis! on to the well-tried ancT farset mg statesman who on the battle-field and in the council chamber lias done so much to uphold the Imperial ideal?