WAS COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE AS GOOD AS MIGHT BE?

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1948, Page 5

WAS COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE AS GOOD AS MIGHT BE?

LONDON. Oct 29 (Recd 6.30 pm).— “The Times,” in a leading article, says that even before Mr. Churchill asked in the House of Commons whether the Commonwealth was being allowed to dwindle away, messages from some overseas Dominions —Australia in particular—reflected public doubts whether the recent Prime Ministers’ meeting really had been as successful as was first thought. The long final announcement, it was said, was good and heartening as far as ii went, out vague and platitudinous, above all, it threw no light on the great question which to the public mind hung over the whole conference —“are the bonds among the older Dominions to be still further loosened to keep the republicly-mind-ed peples within the group?"

“The Times” says that even to mention the title “Dominion’' raises a fresh question. Mr. Attlee and others have gone out of their way to avoid the title. Thev preferred to speak simply about member nations of the Commonwealth, which no longer has a prefix. The British announcement gave no specific ruling on any of these matters, and, because of this prudent silence, doubts have arisen whether the Commonwealth is being left to evolve of itself with “separatists” setting the pace in each new modification, and doubts have arisen whether the latest meetings accomplishd anything abiding or substantial. Probably tne final announcement could have been, and should nave been, more detailed and more explicit.