EMPIRE AND WORLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21263, 17 August 1932, Page 9

EMPIRE AND WORLD

MR. BALDWIN'S IDEALS

EFFECT OF CONFERENCE

IMPERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

(Received August 16, 5.5 p.m.) OTTAWA. Aug. 15

"The Ottawa Conference will not set back, it will set forward our recognition of each other's needs,'' declared Mr. •Stanley Baldwin, in an address to the Canadian Club. There were 700 present, including the heads of the delegations. The chairman, Mr. Coats, Canadian Government Statistician, said that Mr. Baldwin's name was written large in the history of their generation. Mr. Baldwin said all the delegates realised how difficult it was in the course of the discussions to maintain the high ideals and live up to the speeches made before the conference. "I hope and believe we can carry away from Ottawa an elevation of mind to sustain us and a consecration of our fellowship' -which will help us to tread the difficult path in the coming years." he said. "One of the world's difficulties is that statesmen have little time to think. They are occupied with an infinitude of details, tending to make them lose their sense of perspective, proportion and direction, and succumbing thus means losing one's soul.* Effort to Save Civilisation "I call your attention to the present position in order that we may nerve ourselves for a renewed effort to attempt the impossible, namely, to build up our Empire to perpetuity. The British Empire is the material and intellectual embodiment of a civilisation which a few years ago -was tottering, and which we came together to help to save for mankind. "We stand to-day as heirs of the Roman Empire whose disappearance and evidence of progress is not permanent, continuous or inevitable. The political genius in it did not prevent its downfall. A similar challenge to our genius, industry and loyalty is being made to-day. The world stands on the precipice of bankruptcy, while in its possession is the secret of plenty. "The more efficiently the Empire can conduct its business the better for the outside world. A policy of Imperial isolation is undesirable from any standpoint. The important thing is to bring minds neither mean nor sordid to bear on our Imperial responsibilities. In the last analysis the Empire was not built up on trade agreements, nor can it be maintained solely by tariffs and preferences. Spirit of Unity Essontial "The Empire can only be maintained permanently by a clear conviction of its ultimate goal, namely, the spirit of unity in the whole of the British peoples. Physical shrinkage of the wprld's prosperity has not brought unity of nations. There exists a sloppy internationalism which does only harm. The individual genius of each race is needed in the world. "From the Ottawa Conference may come not only Imperial benefits, but a great advance in our thought, also an appeal to make the British Commonwealth ■what it should be—metaphorically an appeal to .us to throw off our coats and roughen our hands." Mr. Baldwin added: "There is no hidden meaning in anything I have said." Continuing, Mr. Baldwin said the beginnings of Canada's development were missions and trading camps. It was still true to-day that they must divide their attention between spiritual and material life. - "We must not think because wc have assembled here to deai w.th business that the Empire exists solely for the purpose of enabling its people to earn larger incomes," said Mr. Baldwin. He hoped the conference would approve the idea of keeping broadcasting away from private control. He paid a tribute to Mr. R. B. Bennett's strength of personality and statesmanship and urged Canadians to support him whatever was the result of the conference. CANADA'S PROPOSALS ACCEPTANCE EXPECTED HOPE OF RAPPROACHMENT (Received August IG, 10.5 p.m.) OTTAWA, Aug. 1G The Canadian Cabinet sat yesterday until midn-'ght. Subsequently Mr. Bennett said he believed their proposals would now accord with the British delegation s desires. The general impression' is fhat only the two main questions remain unsettled. The first is meat, which especially concerns New Zealand and Australia, and which may be adjusted in a mutually satisfactory fashion to-day. The second is the limitation of Russian dumping of lumber and wheat, on which Britain is delaying her decision. Assuming that Britain yields to the determined stand of New Zealand and Australia on meat, Mr. Bennett feels that he may be placed in the unenviable, isolated position of the last contestant hampering a harmonious agreement. It is hoped that to-day's discussions will bring the parties to a rapproachment which would allow the conference to end on a note of triumph. RESULTS ACHIEVED PROVISIONAL AGREEMENTS NO SACRIFICES INVOLVED (Received August 16, 5.55 p.m.) Times Cable LONDON, Aug. 16 The Times says the broad results of the Ottawa Conference are already plain. In all the circumstances they represent a very remarkable achievement. In the nature of things the results could not l>e spectacular. They consist of a scries of provisional agreements, some bilateral, some multilateral, for the extension of various lines of trade between the countries of the Empire. There is nothing to suggest that they involve any sacrifice, either on the part of Britain or the Dominions, comparable with their advantage. The British Empire, says the paper, has definitely chosen the better road. The supreme merit of this conference is that it has steadily refused to be diverted from grappling with facts.