The Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference
| Author | David M. Leaate |
| Date | 01 June 1955 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070205501000205 |
| Published date | 01 June 1955 |
| Subject Matter | Notes and Comments |
NOTES
AND
COMMENTS
The
Commonwealth
Prime
Ministers'
Conference
David
M.
Legate*
Nine
of
the
most
important
living
men crossed
the
earth
to
foregather
here
in
the
latter
part
of
January this
year
for
what
had
been
publicized
as
one
of
the major
encounters
in
recent
history.
They
were
the
Prime
Ministers of
the
countries
of
the
British
Commonwealth
of
Nations,
coming
together
for
the
third
time
since
1951.
The
publicity
ended
when
this
con-
ference began.
It
was
held
"in
camera,"
the
explanation
being
that
it
was
simply
a
gathering
to
exchange
views
on
mutual
problems.
The
final
communique was
packed
with
diplomatic
cliches.
It
recorded
"with
satisfaction
...
"a
widening
area
of
understanding"
.. .
"a
valuable
foundation"
..
and
so
on
and
so
on.
There
were full
press
reports
of
a
dinner
at
Buckingham
Palace,
a
reception
at
the
Guildhall
and a
social
affair
at
No.
10
Downing
Street.
But
nothing
was
vouchsafed
to
Commonwealth
journalists
as
to
what
went
on
at
the
meetings
in
No.
10.
The
journalists
were
left
to
guess.
The
resulting area
of
speculation
was
as extensive as
it
was
largely
fatuous.
We
are
repeatedly
advised
that
such
Commonwealth
Con-
ferences
do
not
constitute
a
legislature, nor
a
council
of
action,
that
they
have
no
corporate
authority.
We
are constantly
warned
not
to
expect
anything
of
a
concrete
character
to emerge
from
the
discussions.
Under
the
circumstances,
in
the
public's
view
an
awful
downfall
after
the
build-up
is
inevitable.
Why
the
secrecy,
considering
the
generally
harmonious
atmosphere
which
exists
between
these
member
nations?
Why
the
vague
reports
by
the
Prime
Ministers
on
their
return
to
their
respective
legislatures?
Mr.
St.
Laurent's statement
in
the
House
of
Commons
at
Ottawa
was suffused
with
a
rosy
glow.
But
no
details.
Mr.
Nehru
refused
to
make
any
comment
what-
soever
when
he
got
back
to
India.
There
were
rumors
that
Sir
Winston Churchill
at
one
stage
of
the
proceedings
had
delivered
himself
of
a
memorable
review
of
the
world
today
and
his
impressions
of
the
world
of
tomorrow
in
the
light
of
the
existence
of
the
H-bomb. Only
a
few
weeks
later
he
did
this
in
the
House
of
Commons
at
Westminister.
It
was
substantially
the
same
as
his
remarks
"in camera"
before
*Editor,
The Montreal
Star-Standard
Bureau,
London.
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