EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18348, 12 September 1921, Page 8

EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS

MR MASSEY’S COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT. NEED FOR FA SITiR SHIPS. OIL OR COAL? DIFFERENCE. BETWEEN " CABINET ” AND ‘•CONFERENCE.” (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July U. Mr Hughes introduced, at the sittings of the Imperial jConference, the vital question of communications. Naturally the subject was of greater importance to the Prime Ministers'of Australia and New Zealand who were the principal speakers in the debate. Mr Hughes emphasised the need of close communication between enen dominion and Britain and among the dominions themselves, for political, strategical and comrae v cial reasons. V\ c had to consider communications by sea, air, and lard by cable and wireless telegraphy and telephony. Tho status of the dominions made it imperative that their voice snould ba hoard. Conferences ought to he regular and frequent, but this was not now possible. A difficulty in tho way of the constitution of an Imperial Cabinet or Council was a fact that a Minister could not speak with full authority on matters concerning his country. Binding decisions could only be made by the Cabinets or Parliaments of the dominions concerned, and on definite questions of foreign policy no such decision was possible unless they could bo presented to the dominions' immediately they arose. This would show the necessity for constant and specdv communications. Tho day was not far distant when tho various Prime Ministers would be in constant communication with each other by wireless telephone. He could see no other means by which a real participation by the dominions in bnipiro affairs would be possible. l‘or all practical purposes the dominions were now told of things when they were done, and when nothing remained for them but to accept. This was in most cases inevitable, because questions of foreign policy must be decided without delay. It would bo an immense stride forward if the present cable system wore improved. The dominions felt that foreign policy ougnt not to bo decided by Britain alone. If the Empire were to work together, and take advantage of co-operation between the various parts, we must have some other method of enabling the voice of the dominions to be heard. . , , The steamship service between England and Australia was worse now than 26 years ago. Twelve and a-half knots an hour for Inter-Imperial steamship communication would not do. It was a standing reflection on Imperial commonsonso and a menace to Imperial interests. r l he conference should consider improved steamship services. In tho matter of airways, too, what might not be done with relays? It was quite possible to arrange for an aeroplane service between England and Australia. An anrship 1 service would reduce the journey to ton days. The communication of Imperial public opinion had also to bo considered. Public opinion was a potent factor now, and would be in time the dominant factor.» THIRSTING FOR NEWS. “Nothing strikes the visitor from the dominions upon any of ins visits to England,” continued Mr Hughes, ‘'more than tho meagre information about his own country appearing in the columns of the British press. And tho converse is not loss true. It you look at the columns of the British press and endeavour to got some idea of what Now Zealand is, wflat India is, what South Africa is, or even Canada—though to a lesser extent —of what Australia is, what a pitiable travesty of the truth do you get? Look at tho press here and note the very restricted space that is available for such trivial matters as Imperial affairs or politics, and the pressure of space for sport and divorce and things of that sort. What do you see about Australia or India? It is the same throughout the Empire. If I had never been to England, well, sir, I should have a very poor opinion of England in the scheme of things. I should know nothing-whatever of the real life of Britain, what it was thinking of, what were the great currents of British public life, manileating themselves in the economic, social, and political spheres. Icould know nothing at all about them. “Public opinion in the dominions is the great factor that will determine the future of the Empire. Wo have got to foster an Empire spirit. But when you got before an Australian audience and ask it to have a concept of Empire and what Empire moans, it is naturally thrown back on what it knows pf Britain and tho Empire, and so it is thrown back upon the press. How can you appeal to such an audience, informed in such a way, so that you can readily make them understand in true perspective what New Zealand, Australia, or the Empire is? You cannot do it. Every day that . the case for Britain and for the Empire is put in this pitiable way, America is at work doing that for which in her, case there is far less need. Do you knew, sir, that every day there goes out from America to the East, radiating in every direction, American news, and not only American news, but American concepts of world nows. Sir, you know that the mind of the Chinese natiou now is malleable. It seizes all the facts which it can, and it forms its opinion of this Empire on the facts supplied. America has no interest in China greater than ours. Yet America does this- and we do nothing. Yet you have an Empire—widely scattered —that depends upon the unity of its parts, and yet those parts, whose very existence depends upon united action, are so. illinformed of what the other part is thinking and doing. They cannot form an independent opinion, and the tendency must bo to drift away. We do nothing; and the cause of this is very largely due to the high cable rates and our apathy towards wireless telegraphy. In Australia we ask the "press, ‘Why don’t you send us more newsas to what you do in Britain?’ They reply, ‘Every word costs 7id to 9s.’ I do not know what would bo the average, but somewhere between those two figures. The press services that are concerned in supplying Australia with news spend tans of thousands of pounds in order to supply us with that meagre stream from which wo slake our thirst. Tho British papers, on the other hand, got information from Australia about wild dogs and strikes, as if strikes did not occur elsewhere. I am sure English statesmen could correct that.” The Prime Minister: Wo have had one or two coal strikes. Mr Hughes: Yes, of course, but the answer to all this is that they cannot afford to do more than they are doing. I heard the other day that a column of news is sent from America to a Canadian paper at, I think, 19 or 20 dollars. They pour out the news, not at or 9s per word, but probably at one-twentieth of the price which is charged for every line or word that is sent from here to. Australia.” COMMUNICATION WITH THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE. “Canada is the only dominion having wireless communication with the United Kingdom. There is no system of direct wireless communication with the dominions overseas. Now it is obvious from this if we do not give them the fullest encouragement in wireless telegraphy and wireless telephony in' tho immediate future we shall be left far behind other countries. Wireless communication has been considered at several conferences, I believe. Nothing lias followed upon tho decision of any of the conferences. Wo still do nothing Now, if I am asked what acherno I prefer, I say I prefer any scheme which will get itself done. What I propose is very simple, and it has the merit of simplicity. It is this: That this conference shall approve of a scheme, that Great Britain shall say; ‘Wo will put up our plant; yon put up your plant.’ In this event we will put up a plant in Australia which will communicate direct with you. and every other dominion can do the same. Then every dominion is in this position—it need not wait on any other, either to begin construction or to reap the advantages. It is true it will cut off from the other dominions, but it will have direct communication with tho heart of the Empire, and you with that dominion. That is what I propose, and there is no reason to suppose that it will involve a commercial loss.” “No doubt wo will meet with opposition. Tho cable companies will oppose it. Perhaps that is the best argument that can be adduced why we shoultf press on with it. I strongly urge that from every point of view, from the point of view of what may be termed government of Empire, in order to ensure that the dominions’ share in formulating foreign policy shall be rea l in order that the defence of Empire shall be effective, and in order that public opinion throughout the Empire may be well informed, and that Empire and British propaganda throughout the world may be in a position, at least to hold its own with antiBritish propaganda, that this should be done. I urge very strongly that a wireless scheme should be adopted. I suggest that a small conference committee might bo asked to consider such of those points.ns you think fit, and bring up recommendations of a definite character which we can then discuss. I shall not do more than make that suggestion, and leave it to you. sir, in your wisdom, to determine what is to be done.

ME, MASSEY AND EVENING SITTINGS. “There are one. or two opinions,” said Mr Massey “which have been expressed by Mr Hughes with which I do not agree, but I will come; to them in_ a minute. Just with regard to this suggestion that a committee should bo set up to consider the whole question of Empire shipping—l happened to be help three years ago, and a committee was set jip then, and it went into the whole question exhaustively, and submitted a resolution which still stands in the public records of this country. It was a good resolution, but I am very sorry to say that very little has been done to give effect to it. Then there is the question of time. I do not know how much longer this conference is to continue sitting. Personally, I am not in a hurry to get away just yet. I want to, get back to New Zealand by October 1, but that is a comparatively long way off. I hear of other members going fairly early, and it appears to me worth considering whether we ought not to sit in the evenings if it were possible to do so. I do not want to go back to the country from which I came and .have to toll them fhat we have done practically nothing. I want to be able to ten them and to show that we have done somthing that will be of benefit to, the whole of the Empire. So far as the press news is concerned I endorse what has been said. ■ The same thing that had been described happened with regard to every one of onr dominions. I saw the other day a telegram stating that an earthquake shook had taken- place in New Zealand and somebody’s clock had stopped. Only that and nothing more. On another occasion there was a telegram from Now Zealand stating that a variety of a native parrot we have over there had attacked sheep. I am simply giving tuese at. mstances of the ill-selected paucity of news that comes to England. I do not know whether anything can be done to rectify that, and I do not know whether it is any part of our business. We can only regret it. The fact remains. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CABINET and conference. “Now, Prime Minister, I heard Mr Hughes complain that we of the overseas dominions have not a share in the foreign policy of the Empire, and I think 1 interjected something at the time that it was our own fault. As to any interference with the autonomy of any one of the dominions, I have never hoard it from any British Minister, I have never heard any suggestion that would ,in the slightest degree interfere with the right of self-gov-ernment so far as the overseas dominions are concerned.” . Sir T. Smartt: Surely that is an entirely different subject to be discussed outside the inter-Empire discussion. Mr Massey: Tire matter has already been introduced. However, about foreign policy, if wo wore a Cabinet wc could not onlv discuss foreign policy, but wo could take-part in the foreign policy of the Empire. Being a conference simply, all that wo oan do is to express an opinion, and leave our opinions to be dealt with as they think proper by the Ministers of the United Kingdom. Mr Hughes: I do not accept that position. . . Mr Massey: That is the position. Mr Hughes; Yos, it is. NEED FDR CONTINUITY AND REGULARITY. Mr Massey: I would like to have it referred to some official constitutional authority and have it decided once for all, but that is the actual position. I know the difficulty, of course, and it'is the distance which some of us jiave to travel in order •to get here. That is the principal difficulty. There ought to be continuity and regularity so far as it is possible to attain it. but under _existing circumstances, neither continuity nor regularity is possible. /That must be admitted. As time goes on, and distances become shorter—-I mean, of course, as improvements are made" in steam communication, rail communications, or whatever it may be—that difficulty will bo got over to a certain extent; but ,1 see no possibility or overcoming, it by wireless as suggested. \Vo have already had some experience of the business that was dealt with in this room finding its way into the. newspapers. \vhy, when wo send communications from one to another,! or front. Prime Ministers overseas to the Imperial’ Prime MirAtcr, as we call him, and I am. glad to us© that term .... Mr Churchill: You moan by wireless telephone ? Mr Massoy: By wireless telephone it would be simply publishing it to the world at large. Mr Hughes: Not necessarily. Mr Massey: There is no way out. 1 cannot see any other way at present. You could have an improved cable communication. Mr Churqhill: Or wireless communication. Mr Massey : You could put it into code. Mr Churchill: But you cannot talk in code. You can have improved cables or improved wireless, but the wireless telephone would bo open to the public. Mr Hughes: Why is it open? - Mr Churchill: You can never tell who' is listening to what you are saying. Mr Hughes: Supposing you telephone it in code. There is nothing to prevent you. Mr Churchill: Then you cannot converse; you simply read out streams of figures. Mr Massey :®You can always find a key to a code. There are many difficulties, but the difficulties can bo., made less. I quite agree with that. Mr Hughes: Might not they be able to get over that? < , Mr Massey: They have not done it yet. My point is that any improvements we may make for a considerable time to come, so far as it is possible for me to judge, must bo made upon the basis of steamships and railway trains and cable communications. I hope there will be important improvements, and I have no doubt there will be, in connection with wireless. I want to see them as well as other people/, but they are not here yet. Mr Hughes: Wireless telegraphy is all right. Mr Massey: So far as airships are concerned, I was' listening to a particular friend of mine making a speech the other evening, and he detailed his experiences in an attempted flight from Paris to London. He told us ho had come. down five times, and the fifth time ho was only 15 milei from where ho started. Do you know him, Mr Hughes? Mr Hughes: I know him. But that was one of my bad_ days. I do not want to discourage anything in the - way of improvement. So far a? I• am personally concerned. I should like to see improvements made; but do not forget this: that we can do a lot with such experience as wo have had here. W T e oan do a very great deal. I believe: but when you talk about passing from this side of the world to the Antipodes, do not forget that you cannot miss a winter either on this side of the world or the other. If you start hero in the summer you will get over there in the winter, and vice versa. I know a little about •mechanics, and that sort of thing, and I can imagine the effect of wind pressure on some of the big airships wo see over London on a fine day. That may be got over, but I do not sco the possibility at present, and when you talk about travelling from hero to Australia and New Zealand in 10 days I want some of these gentlemen who are so optimistic with regard to air services just to attempt it, and let us see if it can be done. If it can be done, none will be bettor Moused than we who reside in the Antipodes. Sir F. Sykes: Tlie Germans went to East Africa and back.

Mr Massey: Yes, and we can do anythin*? that the Germans did. But on the journey from here to East Africa and back they did not 2° through a winter. The greater the distance, of course, the greater the disability. Mr Hughes put his finger on a weak point when he made the statement that the steamships of to-day were no bettor than the steamships of 20 years ago so far as speed was concerned. I am afraid that is absolutely correct, I do not think we are as well off as we wore. Wo in Now Zealand are bettor oft in one way—and everyone looks at his own country first—we are better off in one way because in getting to this country prior to four or live years ago the usual route —in fact, there was hardly any other route possible—was round Cape Horn, and ships were built for the Capo Horn trip. _ They were mostly slow vessels —cargo ships, with a certain amount of passenger accommodation. We now go through the Panama Canal, and I hope the Americans will allow ns to continue to go through it. We pass through the Panama Canal at present, although the distance is not a great deal shorter, nothing like one would imagine. Still, the weather encountered is tetter, and wo are able to make trips with much more comfort for the passengers. I came across here once in a ship that averaged only 9i knots, and wo came across the North Atlantic with 175 passengers, and not the slightest protection. If a submarine had come along it would have been the softest tiling in the world for the submarine. A submarine did not come, a.nd we got hero; but a submarine sank the ship on her next trip. Those things, arc past, but instead of 10 or 12-knot ships and we* still have them —we ought to have vessels carrying mails and passengers and steaming not Toss than an average of 16 knots. That is not very much, and it can be done quite easily. But it means money. A 16-knot ship would take passengers from

New Zealand to this country, or vice versa, in a little less than 30 days, and 30 days would bo a tremendous improvement upon what we have got now. It is too slow. Mr Hughes: That is the least, really. Mr Massey: I should like to say a higher figure, but that is quite feasible; and even if it required a subsidy I think it ought to be done The mail services were very bad during the war, and they have not recovered yet. We never know when it will come, and when it does come we find >t has taken between 38 and 42 days. That is the usual thing, and it is far too long. When this committee was set up, which has been referred to, I expected big things from it. I thought we were going to do something definite, and something for the benefit of every country in the Empire—because it is not limited to any country, i have read this document, and I hove no doubt that other members have read it, and I think it is the most colourless document I have ever seen in all my life. If they had tried to avoid doing or saying anything important or expressing an opinion upon any important point they could not have done it better than they have done it here. It is of no use, tftid if the next bpard or committee—this is only an interim board which has reported recently—does not do better than this it is not worth while going on. It "needs to be taken in hand, and energetically. I believe that the Government, which wo are in the habit of speaking of as the “Imperial Government,” should take'the matter in hand. We can do a little for ourselves, and if it ovei* becomes a question of subsidy I have no doubt we shall do cur share. THE IMPORTANT MATTER OF FREIGHTS. “I do not want to say much about the financial aspect,” said Mr Massey, “but I am looking forward to every country in the Empire not bbing compelled, but volunteering to contribute more to the support of the Imperial Government than it has done up to the present, though I think we have as much as we can do just now. So far as I am concerned, I do not want io make any rash promises with regard to this, but these things have to be paid for. There is no question about that. Shipowners are not philanthropists by a very long way, as most of us experienced both as regards passenger fares and in freight rates. Speaking about freights, that is another of the difficulties the overseas people have at present. We got fairly good prices during the war period, and New Zealand particularly perhaps, but I know that Australia joined in this. We had a, _ contract with the Imperial Government by which the Imperial Government took over most of our products for the purpose of the soldiers or for the navy, or lor the civilians of this country. The Imperial Government took them over in our country —that is to say, f.o.b. They paid the freight, and wo dij not feel it. But things have changed; prices have dropped, and we are now on our own, and are experiencing the. very greatest difficulty in having ■ anything left for the producers in the countries to which we belong after the expenses arc paid. The least profitable of the products which we sent to this country, and of which we sent a very great deal certainly during the war, was beef. I happen to know of this instance, because it came from the district which I represent. A pretty big shipment of good quality came to Smithfiold within the last few weeks from New Zealand. It was sold for 3Ad per lb, and it cost 4d per lb from the time the animals- walked into the abattoirs in New Zealand, until the meat was landed in London. The unfortunate owner will have an additional payment of id per lb to make on account of the freight on the whole of the beef.

Mr Meighen: Ho will have to send more beef to pay the difference. OUTLOOK NOT GOOD.

Mr Massoy: That is what tho typical Irishman would be supposed to do. What is the difficulty?. It is no use talking about , keeping up the trade. We cannot do it unless freights are reduced. It ia not so bid in the case of lamb. Lamb is selling at a fair price, but beef is very bad indeed, and second-class mutton is almost as bad as beef. In theco circumstances the trade must fall off, and there will bo presently very littlo for the ships to carry. Altogether N the outlook is very far from good. We can produce any ■■ quantity, and there is no-difficulty there. We can produce the goods that are required, but if we cannot get the price for fchem when landed hero, owing to excessive charges in the way of freights and other expenses, and there ia nothing left for tho producer, then the oounti'y is going to suffer, and not only the people of my country, but the people of this country will suffer in proportion. OIL OR COAL. "There was a point mentioned about oil being cheaper than coal. I do not pretend to know a great deal about it, except that just about the time tho war came to an end several of-the shipping, companies trading to my part of the world changed their vessels from coal to oil. Some of them have now changed back; they say that the oil costs more than the coal, and I am afraid that there will be less oil in the future instead of more. One never knows. I only hope it will riot be the case, but I am not at all.certain that oil is going to bo much cheaper than coal. There is one point I wish to emphasise, and it is this: I have already expressed the. hope that something will be done so far as this matter is concornod, because it is of extreme importance to the overseas dominions. There is this point which we must look at from an :Empire point of view—viz., that anything in the. way of improved communications, whether by post, by wireless, by cable, or by 'steamer, helps to strengthen tho bonds of Empire and to bring us closer together than we are now. and on that account I think it is worthy of every possible encouragement. If the committee is set up, as suggested, I personally should raise no objection to it; but unless something more is going to be done than has been attempted up to the present, then I say it is not worth doing." ' MR CHURCHILL'S REPLY. The Secretary of State for the Colonies Said everyone was agreed as to the objects in view.' The question was how could thoy get them and when could they get them. A wave of exhaustion had passed over tho world that had been fighting, and the idea that they should have better methods of communication at their disposal for civilian purposes after five years of slaughter and destruction was not well founded. While they saw exactly what they wanted to do, it would be a mistake for them_ to propose very large or drastic action involving: immense schemes and a huge expenditure of public money. They would do the best they could; they would drive ahead as far as they could; ;they would get plans made out on good lines, and they would get agreement betMeen the different parties. Then', as thenstrength revived and recovered, they would carry them into actual effect. On the subi'ect of circulation of news within the British Empire, Mr Churchill said it was really a vital thing that the British Empire should develop a strong British Empire atmosphere, and that they should know in each part of the Empire what the other parts were thinking. There should bo a sympathetic understanding of each other's difficulties. In this, as in other questions, they came up immediately against finance. Ho thought that at the committee, which he understood the Prime Minister proposed to set up, he might, nosnibly arrange for a short conference' between tho dominion Prime Ministers and the representatives of tho newspapers in this country, with a -view of seeing what practical proposals could be made. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. There was one' practical proposal which they hoped already to 'do with the aid of the Postmaster-General—that was to allow the deferred rate in regard to pre?s communications at a cheaper rate, which was discontinued during the war. So far as the wireless chain was concerned, of course, it had been delayed by the war, but tho Oxford-Cairo "station would be talking in November. These wireless chains, when they got into operation, would afford a very groat addition to the facilities of interchange of communication. They would not, in Mr Churchliirs opinion, displace tho cables, but they would develop an additional class of traffic of very great importance. So far as steamships were concerned, at the present time financial difficulties would be very great indeed, because tho cost of everything was enormous, and to accelorate the South African and New Zealand services would be a very costly matter. It was one of the first objects to which they should devote their money and energies once the vital questions concornod with tho safety of the country and the naval power of the country had been provided for. So far as the air was concerned, ho believed it would bo possible for the section Karachi, Baghdad, Cairo, in the very near future, as a practical matter, without any large additional expenditure, to establish an economic and paying service for mails. The preceding day a machine came from Baghdad to Cairo in 11 hours, a journey which would ctherwiso have taken 4z to 5 weeks. Mr Churchill added that' tho nroposal was: A committee composed as follows : Mr Churchill (in tho chair), representatives of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India, in consultation as required with the Ministers at the head of tho Board of Trade, Air Ministry, and Post? Office, and their officials, was ap-