THE DOMINIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 14 November 1934, Page 5

THE DOMINIONS

AFFINITY WITH AMERICA FOUNDATION OF BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON. 12th November. General Smuts, speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in which lie condemned war talk as a vicious and dangerous mistake, added: “Tlie British Commonwealth’s association lies more with the United States than with any group in tlie world. The dominions, owing to their community of outlook, interests and destiny, have even stronger affiliations with the United States than with Britain. That fundamental affinity is and must he the real foundation of British foreign policy, which we ignore at our peril.” COMMENT BY “THE TIMES” A WISE STATEMENT LONDON, 13th November. “The Times,” commenting oh the speech of General Smuts, regrets that a statement so wise had not come from the lips of a member of the Cabinet. The British commonwealth as General Smuts understands it. lias its feet in both worlds, the old and the new. The dominions have even stronger affiliations than Great Britain with the United States. The latter and the dominions alike would be estranged from the League if transformed into a fighting machine pledged to carry out decisions by force of arms. The League was designed first and foremost to be a roundtable of nations, and in that capacity represents the framework of a collective system which must lie regionally built up.