Evening star., 1945-08-26
Not Easy for AttIee

The United Kingdoms newly In
stalled Labor government, besides
having to cope with serious eco
nomic situation at home, must also
turn it's eyes abroad and give worried
thought to the problem of harmony
within the British Commonwealth
and Empire. This point is dramatized
by Australia's strongly worded COM
plant about being treated perfume
torily by London in respect to the
surrender Of japan and the shaping
of the peace as whole, not only in
Asia but in Europe as well.
AS voiced by Herbert v. Evatt,
Australian Minister of External At
fairs, the complaint revolves around
the failure of the United Kingdom
to consult with Australia before sub
scribing to the Potsdam declaration
calling upon the Japanese to yield
or be destroyed. 1t revolves, too,
around the United Kingdoms atti-
tude toward having an Australian
general take part in the surrender
ceremonies, the charge being that
London was opposed to having him
represent Australia directly. Beyond
that, there is the larger accusation
that Britain is treating the Down
Under" country as a subordinate in
stead OF as an equal. and there are
rather sharp animadversions to the
effect that Australia. like China,
should be represented on the Pots
dam created council of foreign
ministers.
In Mr.. Evatt's words-and they
imply criticism of America and Rus
STA as we'll as of Britain-"ther
still is a deplorable tendency, now
that the fighting is over, to relegate
Australia to subordinate status
and either not consult it at all or to
consult it in perfunctory way and
not on a footing of equality" This
tendency. he says. will have to be
arrested not only in the interests of
Australia but Of the British Com
monwealth as whole" In effect,
he maintains that both as regards
the European and Asiatic peace his
country should be on a par with
China, which is a member of the
so-called Big Five, and he asserts
that New Zealand-another member
of the British Commonwealth-se
eye to eye with Australia on this
point.
Considering Australia's strictly
limited resources and its population
of only 10000 as against China's
100000 600, it may be argued that
this view is unreasonable and un-
realistic. But its Importance rests
not so. much in whetherzit is sound
or not as in the fact that it indi-
Gates strained relations within the
Commonwealth As far as the Aus
traiians are concerned, SOME Ill will
between them and the home coun-
try was noted early in the Pacific
war, and now-through Mr.. Evatt-
1t takes the form of an implied
warning that there may be a kind
of falling out between Australia and
the United Kingdom unless the lat
ter changes its attitude. There has
been loose talk in the past about
Australian secession or an Austral-
ian "anschluss" with the United
States, and Mr.. Evatt's criticism
rather tends to encourage it.
To be sure, Australia's feelings are
not beyond soothing, but the tone
OF Mr.. Evatt's remarks clearly shows
that the Labor government in Lon
don has a job of diplomacy to per-
form not only in the world at large
but within the Commonwealth and
Empire. The structure is not all of
one mind or heart by any means.
There is more than one difficult
family problem to be ironed out in
such other dominions and colonies
as Canada, South Africa, India
Burma and Hong Kong, to mention
but part of the whole. Prime Min
lister Attlee has anything but an