Evening star., 1923-12-23
THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

the seven days ended December ~.
THE BRITISH EMPIRE.
At the recent imperial conference of pre-
miers, Mr.. Baldwin pledged his government to
extension of imperial preference. There Is
a good deal of speculation to whether
labor liberal government would take over
and fulfill that pledge, and to what effect
failure of fulfllment might have on intra- I'M
perial relations. Embarking for home the other
day, Premier Massey of New Zealand, asserted
that such failure would be "a slap in the face
to British sentiment throughout the empire"
cession or of legislation by the outlying COM
monwealths unfriendly to the mother country
but expressed the conviction that non-fulhl1-
ment would have lamentable consequences He
pausibly asserted that continuity is even more
desirable for the imperial than for the foreign
policy of the British government
On the other hand. many liberals are s.,o- Of
that important pledges to the daughter COM
monwealths must be subject to ratification by
the commons. 1t may be thought that, as in
the domestic episode so disastrous to
himself and his party SO In his pledges hes 10 1ess @
discretion than good will These imperial con-
n
warily and without clear mandate VIII give give
new government of the definite pledges of
the Baldwin government on imperial prirI prertrI
harmony Perhaps the greatest need in the en-
pre is Of political genius OF the hrst order dan,
problem of efficient imperial machinery.
Relations between the government of India
and just now they somewhat more so than
usual. owing to the activities of a gang of
Inherently OF Pathans from either side Of the
Afghan border of the northwest frontier prov.
them will descend British post with the
intention of seiZing a British officer or woman.
that purpose. but not without numbering
British subject two The British cannot
round up these gentlemen without the CO.
operation of the amir's government; for es-
cape across the border is easy. and the amir's
border subjects SVmDathet1C.
that there is good prospect of another Brit
ish afghan war-a consummation devoutly TO
be deprecated by the British in view of the
terrible experiences Of 1898 and 1878. But ap
parently. the wish is father to the thought with
NJ Tchitcherin. for one hears that however tar
dily the amir is taking effective steps for
cooperation with the British border authort-
ties There is no absence of British suspicion
that this tardiness has been due to Russian in
trigue. Between British India and Russian
Turkestan the amir Is IN very dercate ,a pDS
ments have as background considerable red
army in Turkestan
GERMANY. E.
Berlin having proposed an exchange OF
ideas" between the German government and
the French and Belgian governments, NJ. Poin-
care assented, provided the Germans should re-
fran from questioning the prerogatves of the
reparations commission and from suggesting
or insinuating treaty revision. The French gov
ernment must. however. he said, reserve the
right to consult any all of the other allied
governments before replying to German COM
munications. Such negotiations he opned,
should be fruitful, especially If addressed to
economic and administrative questions relat-
ing to the occupied territory. M. Poincare's as
sent is of first Importance. 1t implies recog-
milton by him of cessation Of passive resist
ance. If the German chancellor Is acting
vendi for the occupied territory should soon
be evolved. 1t is understood that new German
ambassador will present his credentials at
Paris about the first of the year, to take up
negotiations as proposed