Evening star., 1948-10-10
British Empire Farley
Opens Tomorrow With
Defense Major Topic
BY The Assoeioisd Press

BY the Assoeiotsd Press
LONDON, Oct. 9.-The British
empire will open q conference Mon
day to talk over ways of fattening
the family purse and of strengthen
ing thin defenses.
The meeting of British Common
wealth nations will bring together
for the first time since the wars end
ranking representatives of Australia
Canada, Ceylon, India, Pakistan
Southern Rhodesia, South Africa
and Britain.
Even though it is a family affair
decisions Of the conference may help
shade world history for years to
come. They will deal not only with
relations inside the commonwealth
but the general global problem.
Diplomatic difficulties between
Russia and the West-and the fear
that they may bring a third world
war-will put defense talks high
on the agenda Of the 15-day con-
ference.
But of near equal importance are
questions of trade relationship
impact of the European Recovery
Program business between Britain
and the Commonwealth, the long
range meaning Of Britain's parti-
cipation in the Western European
alliance.
Top Leaders Sent to London.
The commonwealth nations are
sending to London some of their
outstanding statesmen. among them.
DR.. Herbert Evatt, Australia's
foreign minister and president OF
the United Nations General As
sembly: w. L. Mackenzie King
Canadian prime minister; scholarly
Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister
of India Prime Minister Peter
Fraser OF New Zealand.
From Pakistan comes Liaquat Ali
Khan in his dual role OF prime
minister and defense minister; from
Southern Rhodesia, Prime Minister
Sir Godfrey Huggins; from South
Africa, E. H. Louw, minister OF
mines and economic affairs; and
from Ceylon, Prime Minister D. S
Sonanayako.
Britain will have at the confer
ence its big three in the Labor Gov
ernment-Prime Minister Clement
Attlee, as chairman of the British
c Commonwealth's special defense
committee; Foreign Secretary Bevln
and Chancellor OF the Exchequor Sir
Stafford Cripps.
Grips Faces Tough Task.
On the angular shoulders OF
Crlpps may fall the toughest task
of all. Ever since the European Re-
covery Program became a reality,
there have been rumblings OF doubt
among members of the Common
wealth. They have expressed fears
that the emphasis on ERP and de-
velopment OF the Western European
Alliance WILL work to their dlSad-
vantage.
Some Of that criticism has echoed
in Britain, particularly in Lord
Beaverbrook's Conservative press
1t has hammered away on the theme
that Britain should look chiefly to
the empire for its future; that
through such a course the British
commonwealth could become the
third great world power in its own
right.
The problem is a hard one. Take
machinery, for example. which
Britain exports in large quantities
Europe needs it for reconstruction
The commonwealth needs it for de-
yelopment. Who should get first
priority? What voice should the
commonwealth get in making these
decisions? That Is one issue sure to
occupy q big part OF the premier
time
Just back from economic confer
ences in the United States, Grips
has expressed to cabinet colleagues
his confidence a strong case can
be made for close financial co-opera-
iton between Britain and the con-
tlnent without looSening empire ties
No Big Difficulties Seen.
The question of working out q
co-ordinated program of defense ap-
peared to pose no major difficulties
A new conception in British mill
tary history-one based on develop
ment of regional security pacts-is
expected to dominate the defense
discussions.
Britain must assess the degree
to which she can count on the
commonwealth rallying to her aid
as it did in World Wars I and IL
should another conflict develop.
The commonwealth countries. on
the other hand, look toward Britain
as a major source of supply for
much of their military needs.