Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1926. THE PROPOSED IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 22 January 1926, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1926. THE PROPOSED IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

IT looks very much as if Sir Austen Chamberlain is going to find it more difficult to bring the Dominions into line with the Locarno Pact, than it was for him to persuade the original signatories to sign it. In Ihe First place be is finding it difficult to get the Dominions' delegates together, and until he can get I hem together I here cannot Very well be any serious discussion ol [he position from the Dominions' point of view. The Canadian Government has lust no time in expressing its unwillingness to accent the British Government's invitation to a Conference to be held any time between next June and next October. The cablegram reads as follows: -It is learned that an unfavourable Canadian reply makes the Imperial Conference in October unlikely, despite Whitehall's anxiety to hold one as soon as possible with a view to finalising the Dominions' attitude to the Locarno Pact."

Considering the extraordinary condition of Canadian politics, it can well be imagined that Mr Mackenzie King. |he Prime Minister without a seal in Parliament, is much i v interested in rectifying Ihal deficiency than he is in the Locarno Pact. Canada, it will b t . remembered, was the first Dominion to denounce the famous, or infamous. Protocol of the League of Nations, the place of which has been taken by the Locarno Pad. It is signfieant that Ihe premier and greatest Dominion should show su.h scant, interest in whal has been described a? Sir Austen Chamberlain's masterpiece of diplomacy. If Mr King eannol see his way to attend the Imperial Conference personally, he could certainly nominate a delegate to represent Canada. The conclusion must be feat be is not interested in the Locarno Pact. If that is Ihe altitude of Canada, whal is likelv In be the attitude of (be Union of South Alri™. where there is in power a government composed of Labourites arid Boers, elements known to be weak in Im perinlism. and led by Ccn'-ral ITertwig. who is anything but an Imperialist. Presumably the Irish Free having the status of a Dominion, will be invited to attend the Conference: but

it is difficult to imagine Mr Cosgruve rushing with alacrity to endorse a fact which wnnid certainly complicate tinalready difficult position of his Gov. eminent. Put Sir Austen Chamberlain inns! not he astonished if the Dominions do not endorse Ihe Pad. Me was careful to exclude them from any voice in its formation. He must not be surprised if they regard his present action as something very like bouncing them into an endorsement of his policy at Locarno. Unfortunately such endorsement by the Dominions would mean positive responsibility on their part to assume obligations which would compel them to interfere actively in the affairs of F.urope. if circumstances de mand.-d the upholding of th* Pact. They are not interested in tin' political affairs "I' the European Continent. Fur thc:mo; k they do not desire the Euro ooan Powers to interest themselves in the Domini..lis' political affairs, a filing which easily 'might occut'e if they oh Lruded themselves per medium of the Locarno Pact into the affairs of Europe. No British statesman knowing the Dominions intimately, and versed in iTieir political affairs. and understanding their peoples, would invite them to subscribe to the striiV"nt :ul ' l binding conditions of such an agreement as that of Locarno. Sir Austen Chamberlain appears to show himself as emu pletely out of touch with opinion in the Dominions, when ho proposes to include their endorsement of the Pact in the agenda of the proposed Imperial Conference.