Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-23
The IMPERIAL Conference,
Its World Significance
T he


terest to all the world began at Lon
don yesterday when Prime Minister Lloyd
George sat down at a council table with the
premiers of the great overseas dominions-
Australia, New Zealand, the Union of nouth
Africa, and Canada. For years these mem
bers of the empire have beer. essentially
self-governing democracies, bound to one an
other anL to the mother country by COM
mon tradition, heartily cooperating in mat
tiers of general concern, but living each lts
own life with the vigor of immemor1al Eng
lish freedom.
This tappy independence in union and
firm union in independence were strength
ened in the World War and its aftermath.
From the empires farthest bounds volun-
teers came swarmin- to man the trenches
and the ships, to bear the burdens and SUI
fer the pains, to fight and win the battles
on which was stalk I'd the liberty of each ana
all In the peace-making which ensued, the
Dominions had their say, and onto the
treaty went their signatures. Note the sig
nificance of that; the compact and covenant
were not simply with the Government cen
tered at London, but also with Canada, with
Australia with New Zealand, and with South
Africa. Highly significant, too, are the ma
jor questions now posed for discussion. These
include imperial defense, imperial policy in
foreign affairs, and the Anglo-Japanese al
lance"
The last mentioned matter alone would
suffice to make the conference OF historic
1importance. That the Dominions have i
marked 'disrelish for a renewal of The agree
ment as it is has long been an open secret;
and Do"ning Street itself has given Toxic
to understand, implicitly, if not in SO many
words, that Britain would have no obliga-
ton under the treaty in the event of war
between Japan and the United States An
eminent British observer, writing in the
current New York Times Magazine, declares
that in differences between the United States
and Japan ''the British Domi1ions voulo
undoubtedly support the United StateS,' and
that there j. already a general understand
ing that no alliance Lust be concluded with
Japan which would be disliked for any rea-
son by the United States
But thoughtful opinion in Canada and
Australia, as here, frowns upon the notion
that trouble between Japan and this coun-
try is inevitable" "Inevitable"l in that con-
nection is word for jingoes, alarmists, ana
yellow journalists, not for responsible states
men and sober men of BUSH ess. The inter-
ests of all nations require world peace, par
ticularly since ali will feel for years to
come the economic strain, the tax burden,
the decentralization and the heartache or
the dread conflict but recently ended.
A potent factor for world peace would be
a clear and friendly understanding among
Britain, Japan and the United States-the
primary sea powers, the decisive influences
east and west. This perception it was that
persuaded The Dominions to await develop
fore declaring finally against renewal OF
the Anglo-Japanese alliance. Obviously an
abrupt and complete sundering of former re-
lations is in every way less desirable than
readjustment upon basis satisfactory to
all concerned. Brita ms interests in India,
the Donations interests in the Pacific ana
Americas interests in the Pacific ali
inter-reIated in so far as japanese policy N Y
affect any one of them.
That this fact will be recognized by the
immortal Cn0fprPnce without saving.
The larger problems there to be dealt with
are in their very ne "ure beyond solving by
Old-time, darksome diplomacy. Says the OBJ
server quoted, "It is broad daylight deal
with the democracieI of the New World. ALI
the cards will have to be laid on the table.
II there were no England at all and no
India, there still would be Canada, New
Zealand and Austral1a-and there would be
the United States-all nearer neighbors to
Japan than Britain,
The conference of the Dominions serves
to show once again how closely interknit are
the deeper interests of the English speaking
people the world around, and it's outcome
doubtless will strengthen their already firm
ties of friendship.