FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22566, 9 May 1935, Page 7

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

THE NEW EMPIRE PLAN AN AGREEMENT LIKELY (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 8. (Received May 8, at 10 p.m.) The Daily Mail and the News-Chron-icle forecast that an agreement is likely to be reached on May 9 between the Government and the dominions' Prime Ministers on a new Empire foreign affairs plan, enabling Britain to take swift decisions on behalf of the Empire without waiting for the consent of the individual dominions. The News-Chronicle says a condition is that these decisions must not involve a departure from the League Covenant, and adds: " The dominions, however, will retain the right of either ratifying or refusing to ratify decisions which seem to involve them in military commitments." The Daily Mail says: " Owing to the sudden changes, in the European scene It is now thought that the British Cabinet should have a free hand to act without committing the dominions, which should only be called on to give their views in cases of emergency." The News-Chronicle says the dominions broadly sympathise with the new plan. SUGGESTION REPUDIATED LONDON, May 8. (Received May 9, at 0.30 a.m.) British quarters unreservedly repudiate the suggestion -of two London newspapers that the meeting yesterday contemplated abandonment of the British practice of consulting the dominions on all European developments in order to enable Britain to act more speedily without committing the dominions, whose views ivould be sought only in case of emergency.