The New York herald., 1921-07-07
AUSTRALIAN THREAT
HINTED BY HUGHES
Premier Says Unity Of British
Empire Depends on Better
Communications.
D0MINIONS DEMAND PORT
Press Assailed for Getting
News From New York Said to
Re C0lored in America.

speciai cdDle to THE N.w YosK Herald.
Copyright. 1871, by THE New yoaK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London. July O.
The future unity % the British EN-
pire depends on better communications
with the Dominlons. This. almost in the
form OF a threat. was the peppery state
ment made by Premier Hughes or Aus
traiia at the imperial conference. ac-
cording to tho text Of the speeches pub
lished to-day.
Premier Hughes declared that the
donainions must share In the decisions
OF the Empires foreign policy before
those decisions are taken. He said the
present system found the Doninions
frequently committed to imperial poll
cles which might lead to war because
of the difficulties OF consultation ana
communication, and added that this was
violation OF their selfsovernlns rights
which the peoples OF the Dominions
could not be expected to stand.
Premier Massey of New Zealand de-
plored the slow steamships, but took
sharp issue with Premier Hughes on
number OF points. Premier Mesghen Tor
Canada confessed that the communica-
lions between Canada and England were
pretty good, but Joined the general out
cry against the British and Dominion
press, asserting that Canada got much
news through New York. where II was
practically censored or colored with the
American view point.
British influence Menaced.
After this all the Premiers and Win
ston Churchill. Colonial Secretary. sllud-
ed to American enterprise In gathering
and disseminating news and the extend
ing of wireless service as menacing
British influence throughout the world.
The result OF the meeting was the ap-
pointment of committee with Mr..
Churchill as chairman to consider what
immediate steps were possible.
The text OF Mr. Churchilrs speech re-
veaIs the extont of the British air prep
arations In the Near East. He said that
there were seven sauadrons OF airplanes
In Mesopotamia, five In Egypt and only
one In England. This shows" he said,
how important and essential Egypt IL
TO the empire. whether we look upon
aviation. naval distribution or the mill
tary position OF the empire"
Here Premier Massey interjected 1T
is the neart OF the empire"
Mr.. Churchill revealed that the Near
East air squadrons already were able
to cut from ten to twelve and even
more days Off the journey from Aus
trala and New Zealand TO the mother
country. He said that the only plane
which flew from Bagdad TO Cairo fol-
lowing a straight black line plouehed
through the white desert In eleven
hours, journey which ordinarily re-
quired four or Ave weeks.
Dominions Demand stay.
The incisive terms In which the com
r1fttee was ordered to make report
inmedlatel as 10 what oan be done.
undoubtedly Ia due 10 Premier Hughes's
merry speech In which he said THE
Dominion Pariaments will not agree to
surrender their rights to seif-sovern-
ment Binding decisions on questions
OF foreign policy only are possible when
the questions are submitted to Dominion
Parliaments and Cabinets Immediately
they arise. AS things now stand Brit
ain may involve va In war ana the Do
rninlons feel that the foreign policy
ought not be to decided by Britain
alone.
The people OF IIt dSh
themselves this question more and more
insistentIy as time goes on: How is
this compatible with our rights OF self
government? Not one part-not even
Britain-of this far flung Empire could
stand alone no matter W might have
been true before the war. We depend
upon one another Doesn't common pru-
dence dictate that we should endeovor
TO get as close to one another az 1t IL
humanity posslbleY
Afrship Service Demanded.
Mr.. Hughes declared that the slow
steamshipe induced British subjects 10
omigrate 70 the United States rather
than 70 the dominions and vigorously
demanded airship service. But Premier
Massey OF New Zealand declared that
no airship could stand the change from
winter 10 summer nccessiteted In voy-
age 70 the antipodes All condemned
the slowness In the development OF wire
less service. asserting that the United
Stftes France. Italy and even Russia
are registering ana rcserving all the
best wave lengths for themselves.
Premier Hughes predicted the early
use of wireless telephony between Eng
land and Australia, but others insisted
that even IL this were possible informa-
tion thus transmitted could not be pre-
vented from leaking out"
Mr.. CHURCHILL asserted that he had
conferred with the British press. and
stated that the American agencies be-
cause OF their splendid facilities intcrna-
tionally were able 10 get news which
they could pro1tably dump" As by
product upon tbe empire. Mr.. Churchill
said n was possible 10 carry mails and
passengers chcrpy in the air n the
nxed charges were not assessed against
traffic but were carried az part OF the
dnfNnnivA menAurea for which the sta