THE LONDON AGREEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19257, 22 August 1924, Page 6

THE LONDON AGREEMENT.

When Mr Ramsay MacDonald, forming the first Labour Government in the Home Country, gallantly assumed the double role of Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, there was some apprehension that he was shouldering a too onerous load of work and responsibility. He was following the example of the late Lord Salisbury", but “the Marquis” never had to face quite so trying a situation as regards international problems; and even dispassionate observers were doubtful as to the wisdom of tbo arrangement, though they may have recognised that to no other member of the Labour Party in Parliament could the conduct of foreign affairs be suitably and safely entrusted. Seven months have gone by, and there does not seem to be any ground for -supposing that Mr MacDonald has found the strain intolerable. Certain it is that his advance in public esteem and confidence has been chiefly associated with bis achievements as Foreign Minis ter. As Prime Minister he has, in relation to domestic concerns, been warily astute and almost painfully cautious, maintaining the position of his Government in no very heroic fashion; but there is no getting away from the fact—even if one wished to get away from it—that as spokesman of Great Britain in international consultations and interchanges he has won a pronounced prestige. It might bo said that lie has combined the distinct but not incompatible virtues of the old and the new diplomacy with happy effectiveness. Unsophisticated sincerity of pnrpos-e, adorned by a touch of something akin to dramatic genius, has enabled liim to capture.the understanding and perhaps half-reluctant sympathy of foreign statesmen of temperaments quite different from his own; and, though there is room for difference of opinion regarding some of his conclusions, and although both the terms and the form of the agreement with Russia are open to criticism, it must candidly ho admitted that lie has seldom, if ever, boon found lacking in tact, sagacity, or general resourcefulness. He has the essentially human instinct which, in dealing with men who arc themselves honest, goes further than any degree of clever finesse. Ho was obviously the dominating personality at the London Conference, —dominating by persuasive reasonableness, not by masterful insistence. It ' will live in history, em

blematic, let us hope, of permanent comity—that final incident of inspiration at Whitehall: At the (’onolusion of the initialling of the conference agreement. Mr MacDonald, in tho course of hand-shaking with everybody, gripped Dr Mars’s hand and led him (q M. Herriot, silently lifted the latter’s right hand, and linked it with that of Dr Mars, then stopped back, smiling genially, while the Frenchman and -German shook hands.

Has Peace broken out at last? It would be hazardous to bo warmly sanguine, but we are disposed to think that world-prospects are brighter than they have been at any time since tho great upheaval of the nations.