The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-20
PLAIN TRUTHS FUR
 BRITISH DIPLOMATS
Colonial Prime Minister Talks
 from the Shoulder
TEST WILL COME FOR NAVY
Lord Roberts Presides at a Brilliant Banquet of Pilgrims Society. Whitelaw Reid, Sir Edward
 Grey and Others.

London, April 19.-Field Marshal Lord Roberts presided at banquet given this afternoon at Claridge's by the Pilgrims Society in honor of the various colonial prime ministers who are in London for the colonial conference. It was the most brilliant of the honors accorded the visit ing premiers.
 The members of the society and their guests numbered $50. Twice that number would have attended, but many applica- tlons were refused because of the lack of accommodations. Near Lord Roberts sat Whltelaw Reid, ambassador of the United States; Sir Edward Grey foreign secre- tary; Lord Strathona, Alfred Deakln, pre- mier of Australia and the duke of Devon shire.
 The government was represented by members of the cabinet and in addition many prominent men of the bar, church and commercial world were present
 Canada Not Represented.
 Sir Wilfred Laurler, premier of Canada Gen. Louis Botha, premier of the Trans vaal, and pr. Jameson, premier of Cape Colony, were absent Canada alone among the colonies was without a spokesman Those who delivered speeches were Sir Edward Grey, Alfred Deakin, Sir Jos. Lyttleton, T. w. Smartt commissioner of public works for Cape Colony, who spoke for Dr, Jameson, who is Ill; the duke of Devonshire and Lord Roberts.
 Sir Edward Grey referred to the mis- take that Great Britain had made in her colonial policy in former century and he was sure this would not be repeated.
 Lord Roberts and MT. Smartt spoke of the reunion of the Anglo-Saxon nations and reminded their hearers that Ameri- cans were taking part in the banquet
 Tie most striking addresses were deliv- cred by Sir Edward Grey and Alfred Deakin. Sir Edward remarked he feared the colonists found the colonial office much farther from the colonies than the colonies were from the colonial office. MT. DeaSin talked from the shoulder and dealt with international problems with straight forward words that undoubtedly will make careful British diplomatists shud- der.
 lie said that 1t Is a fact that the col onial office is farther from the colonies than the colonies are from the colonial office, and he emphasized the claim that the colonies should be independent na- tions. He said 1t was refreshing "to come to London and talk with the gov ernment face to face" He promised that Australia next year would inaugurate a system whereby she could defend herself in the event of war without assistance from the mother country. He emphasized the fact that the problems of Australia were not the problems of England, say ing the mother country had no Asiatic population as menaeing rivals. Then re-
 
 tion or the New Hebrides, the speaker said he wished 1t to be noted that Eng land has allowed rival nation to secure a foothold close to Australia without a warning from Australia. While the Brit ish navy had not been called on in a test of sea supremacy during the past cen tury, the speaker said this would not happe in the next years.
 Without mentioning nations by name he predicted pointedly that there would be VIZ. for the supremacy of the Pacific with Germany and Japan.