THREE DIVISIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10955, 18 July 1921, Page 5

THREE DIVISIONS

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE AN INTERESTING VIEW IN RET- • ROSPECT. mm OPINIONS DIFFERED. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. (Received July 17, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. . The Australian Press Association is authoritatively assured that, dispassionately viewing the Conference in retrospect, one realises that it, undesignedly but inevitably, fell into three divisions, which were never hostile, but mutually helpful even when apparently antagonistic. The first division included British ministers, who adopted preceptive rather than a prescriptive attitude,. and were ajxxious "to ‘ learn *the Dominions’ views rather than to impose their own. Nevertheless, they were insistent in requiring the renewal of the treaty and persistent in representing Britain’s inability any longer to bear the whole burden of the defence of the Empire, in which all the Dominions must share in future. The second division comprised Mr Meighen (Canada) and General Smuts (South Africa). The (former differed from the British regarding both the treaty and defence, but was predisposed to support the treaty. In the third division were Mr Hughes and Mr Massey. The former approved of th© treaty provided it was rendered inoffensive t-o the United States. ‘ Mr Massey whole-heartedly supported the renewal and both regarded naval defence fis a matter of life and death to Australia and New Zealand. Mr Meiglien’s reasons for opnosing the renewal of the Japanese Treaty were threefold. Firstly, the conditions which necessitated the treaty in 1911 non-existent; secondly. tho renewal would be regarded with disfavour by th© United States: and thirdly* the formation 'of such alliances was ; antagonistic to the spirit of postwar times. . Failing to secure denunciation, he would have proposed the insertion of a clause' exempting Canada until the Dominion Parliament approved. General Smuts concurred in the pinciple of Mr Meighen’s arguments, but ©aid if he was assured that the treaty renewal was imperially necessary he would support tsie renewal . Mr Meighen, also, was opposed to the Conference dealing with naval defence; He pointed out that the Canadian Government and Parliament refused to .deal with Dord Jellicoe’s report two sessions ago because naval defence involved questions of foreign policy* constitutional control, affecting Admiralty authority on the one hand and Dominion authority on the other. Mr Meighen advocated the suspension of action until the Conference had decided the precise mechanism under which the Dominions coiild give effect to their views on foreign affairs. General Smuts arrived at a similar conclusion by a different line of reasoning. He was emphatically opposed to any new' 1 defence commitments as a contravention of the spirit of the Deague of Nations. • A member of the Conference described General Smuts as- going even further than Mr Meighen in opposition to the defence question, and that he out-Heroded; Herod.

THE JAPANESE TREATY

GENERAL SIR lAN HAMILTON’S VIEW. OLD CODE OF CHIVALRY, BUT—(Received July 17, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July- 16. General Sir lan Hamilton, speaking in Manchester, said that tho old code of chivalry still wqrks under the surface of the Japanese twentieth-cen-tulry manners. Th© Japanese would sooner die than play fast and loose with a military treaty, but such a consideration might not apply to other forms of agreement. Therefore it is best for America, and for the world, to stick to. our military agreement with as many safeguards as they liked against our being drawn into conflict .vyith , any English-speaking people.

THE. WORK DONE

TWENTY-FOUR MEETINGS. DISCUSSIONS COVER WIDE RANGE, LONDON, July 15. Up to tho present, the Imperial Conference ha® held twenty-four meetings. The opening speeches of the Prime Minister. disclosed the viewpoint of each Dominion oh the various matters to be discussed. Then came statements by Mr Winston Churchill, regarding the Crown colonics and dependencies, and by Lord C’urzon on tho present state of foreign affairs. This cleared the way, and the Conference then dealt with the following subjects:—The constitutional relationship between the componait parts of tho Empire; the European situation, a® apart firom foreign affairs generally: the Anglo-Japanese agreement, the particularly respecting Mesopotamia ( and Palestine, the Leagule of Nations, naval and military air defence, German reparations, the • Anglo-Egyptian policy, Empire communications on sen, land, and air, tho development of civil aviation, telegraphic communications throughout the Empire, and the Imperial Shipping Committee’s report on Imperial migra-' tion.

The discussions on these matters have not reached finality. In respect of some of them, committees, comprising the overseas Prime Ministers, with the English Ministers who are more particularly concerned, ax© sitting separately to examine tho questions in detail, with the object of making recommendations to th© Conference. For instance, the question of German reparations is being dealt with in a separate conference at the Treasury with the Chancellor of the Exchequer presiding, while such questions an sea, land, air, and telegraphic communications and the better dissemination of Empire news, migration, and the control of the New Hebrides, are being discussed under the presidency of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A decision on the Japanese Alliance temporarily in aheyance, pending proposals emanating from the American Government regarding the WashingtonConference, and the conversations pro • oeeding between the great Powers. Mr Massey has attended every meeting of the Conference. Hi® attitude has been to approach all questions from the point of view of the unity of the Empire, with full consideration of New Zealand’s interests. ITe has expressed himself as pleased with the progress made, the frankness and candour of the discussions, and the willingness on the part of the British Government to place all the cards on the table* and

give the overseas Prime Ministers the fultest information on every subject. Official reports have been issued in defence of rigid secrecy. Mr Massey is strongly in favour of President Harding’s conference, but, apart from that, no insists that New Zealand and Australia shall have a full opportunity of discussing the Pacific question.