EMPIRE VIEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26853, 18 August 1948, Page 2

EMPIRE VIEWS

UNOFFICIAL STUDY The British Commonwealth and World Society; Proceedings of the third unofficial conference on British Commonwealth Relations. Issued under the auspices of the Royal Institute of. International Affairs. Oxford University Press. 15s 6d.

In this small volume, the editor, Richard Frost, has summarised the main points which arose at discussions at the conference on Commonwealth relations, which was held at Chatham House in 1945. The field covered by the talks was a wide one, and offered full scope for an examination of the diverse problems of a unique community of nations in the post-war world. As might have been expected, a note of vigorous nationalism was evident in the speeches by - delegates of countries newly come to maturity, but there was equally apparent the realisation that a strong Commonwealth could be a potent factor for economic and military security. One of the most important problems discussed was that involving the many aspects of inter-Commonwealth relationships. There was frank acknowledgment of the fundamental difficulties of race and the fears and prejudices that stem from the question of racial relations and migrations. Since this issue of race is certain to be one of the most contentious problems of the future, and is likely to be intensified as the colonies are educated to nationhood, the delegates made no attempt to minimise the serious difficulties that already exist, and the expression of divergent viewpoints produced a clear picture of the obstacles in the way to a full understanding. , , The pook contains also reports of the speeches given by the delegates at the opening ceremony, and an index to the papers and subjects discussed. E. A. A.