STATEMENT BY LORD CREWE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16668, 13 April 1916, Page 5

STATEMENT BY LORD CREWE.

GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE DEFINED. DELEGATES WENT WITH OPEN MINDS. SOME SACRIFICES MIGHT BE NECESSARY. LONDON, April 11. (Received April 12, at 9.10 p.m.) Lord Crewe said that at the end of 1915 informal conversations occurred between the British and the French Governments. France suggested that it would be advantageous to arrive at a common ground upon economic ques> tions by a conference amongst the Allies, without sacrificing the freedom of the respective countries. The con= ference would discuss current matters arising during the progress of the war, including the question of a joint agreement upon the prohibition of enemy trading. It also suggested that the conference should discuss the prohibition of exports to Britain with a view to inflicting the least mutual inconvenience upon the Allies. The conference would also discuss qnes= tions arising after the war, including the reconstitution of the Allies' trade and securing economic independence.

Lord Crewe added that he feared the poison had permeated too deeply into the German character for the Allies to look forward to an epoch when 'they could take ~ down the shutters and recommence business on the old lines, as though it had only been a riot. Mr Hughes would go to the conference as an Imperial reprc= sentative. They would go without instruction, except to keep their eyes and minds open, and assist in explor. ing the subjects brought before the conference. They would not commit the Government to any definite action. He entirely agreed that it would be unwise for Britain to frame her future commercial policy upon a frantic system of revenge, careless whether it inflicted a vast injury upon ourselves and the Empire. But it was possible cases might arise where it would be necessary to sacrifice some commercial advantage in order to avoid greater dangers. MR W. M. HUGHES. SUPPORT Of"sOCIETY LADIES. LONDON, April 11. , A letter appears in the ;Daily Telegraph signed by, the Duchesses of Somerset and St. Albans and many society ladies, supporting Mr Hughes's visit to Paris. It says that perhaps Mr Hughes is the only man of front rank expressing the nation's sentiment upon the sinister, treacherous, Machiavellian economic conspiracy by which Germany sought to destroy communities under the British flag.