ABOUT OTTAWA

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 23, 19 August 1932, Page 5

ABOUT OTTAWA

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SOME PLAIN SPEAKING i (Special Correspondent.) ; WELLINGTON, Aug. 17.—Both the Wellington daily papers after weeks of indulgent reticence have more than a word or two to say concerning Uvj attitude and efforts of the leaders cf Uie Australian and New Zealand delegations at the Ottawa Conference. "It may please the vanity of New Zealand," says the Post, "to think cf Mr. Coates as taking a leading pari. in the 'titanic struggle of business versus blood ties' now proceeding at Ottawa, and of his putting the blood ties first as a true Imperialist should. But we should like them to consider whether it was blood or business tnat inspired the powerful and prolonged agnation by which the Farmers' Union and other producers' organisations seriously embarrassed the Government, sought to dictate the personnel of the Ottawa, delegation and ultimately succeeded in gtUting Coates appointed as its spokesman." Nor was this by any means the omy shock to the evening paper. Patriotism or Imperialism "Had patriotism or imperialism or a regard fir the needs of our kinsmen in the Homeland," asks the Post, i any part whatever in the propaganda so "energetically conducted by Mr. Poison, M.P., Mr. David Jones and Mr Goodfelicw? it is perhaps to their credit that no such pretence was made. It way a purely selfish agnation, conducted no doubt on behalf jof the most important interests in this country, but inspired by purely business motives and conducted en business lines. There was no talk of blood ties' then, it would indeed have been a sheer farce ... A strictly business agitation now takes its place in the 'due perspective' of history as a contribution to the titanic effort which Mr. Bruce and Mr. Coates are now making on behalf of blood ties against the solid selfishness of Britain.! ... It is still possible to hope an admiring reporter is doing both Mr. Bruce and Mr. Coate s an injustice."

* » « f'Out ,of Perspective" Under this heading the Dominion reviews the situation a little more deliberately than does its evening contemporary, "Prior to the deparLifi'e of the BrWsh delegation for Ottawa," it says, "both Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Thomas made it plain to the public that they were going to the conference in no huckstering spirit. Their s was to be a voyage of discovery to see what could be done by way of mutual concessions and co-ordinated effort to organise into economic resources. The reports of the conference's deliberations in its later stages have made it depress, ingly clear that in them eagerness to obtain concessions of immediate benefit the Dominion delegations have given the proceedings the appearance of a bargaining competition. To what length this has been the case during the last two or three weeks is obvious, and it is not inspiring." The Dominion well may say the proceedings have had the appearance of a bargaining competition. * * * Holding Together The morning paper, regardless of parties, referring to Mr. Baldwin's insistence upon the solidarity of the Empire, contrasts an observation made by Mr. Coates in his opening address at Ottawa with the stability of the great British statesman. "Experience has proved beycnd question," New Zealand's leader is quoted as saying, "that tariff preferences are a, valuable instrument, in stimulating ' Empire trade. Their influence is liowever, expressed in long term trends, and it is, we think, necessary that ni the present emergency they should be aided by some more direct means." Commenting upon this assertion the Dominion says "it would be regrettable indeed if the future were to be debited with errors of statesniansnip committed under the pressure of arguments based on immediate necessities. All through the chapter of events at Ottawa it has been obvious tnat the British delegalion has been determined, and rightly so, to avoid being placed in such a position." And so the British Empire survives.