EMPIRE LEADERS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 434, 15 May 1937, Page 5

EMPIRE LEADERS

CONFERENCE OPENS FORMALITY ABSENT Mr Baldwin Presides Over Gathering Of 120 Press Association —Copyright. London, May 14. Queen Anne’s drawing-room in Stl. James’s Place, with its old masters on the’ crimsonjcurtained walls flooded by old gold light from a crystal chandelier was to-day (the scene of yet another historic conference', but it was a conference from which formality was completely absent. It was rather a family drawing-room party. The Imperial Conference lunched quietly round a plain polished horseshoe table, at the centre of which was Mr Stanley Baldwin, who was elected chairman. He presided over 120 delegates and officials. Sir Maurice Hankey, secretary of the Committee of imperial Defence, probably the world's most famous conference man, set, on Mr Baldwin’s right. It is seven years since statesmen of the British Commonwealth of Nations have formally conferred at London in the realm of foreign affairs and defence, which subjects' will rank first in importance on the agenda.

The situation has undergone many changes, even since -the informal discussion which took place between the Prime Ministers assembled at. London for the jubilee in 1935. "he presence of Sir Thomas Inskkip, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, in the United Kingdom delegation, which is representatve of all sections forming the National Government, indicates that the co-ordination aspects' of defence problems will not be neglected. The Constitutional and trade matters for discussion, while important, are rather of a routine character and will not rouse the same public Interest as these aspects of Imperial affairs have in the past. The conference is not. expected to last for more than, four weeks l . Irish Free State Absent. Burma is making its first appearance at the Imperial Conference table as a separate entity. On the other hand the Irish Dree State will be absent from this year’s discussion. Mr W. L. Mackenzie King, Canada, eloquently paid tribute to Britain’s political democracy and individual liberty. These had been challenged and scorned abroad and questioned’ and belittled in some quarters at home, he said. Now tha<_ the s tark contrast! between liberty and regimentation had been made manifest the value of freedom as a source of individual self-realisation, national power and enduring internattio-nal cooperation was more fully, realised than ever. Political tension would not lessen without an abatement of the policies of economic nationalism and economic imperialism. “We have a definite responsibility to joitf others in lessening the barriers against international trade and securing- an enduring contribution to peace and co-operation among nations of goodwill,” Mr King added..