124

A—s

Fifth Day. 23 April 1907.

Mr. HALDANE : " Is of opinion," for instance. Mr. DEAKIN : Something of that sort, safeguarding the statement " without wishing to commit to immediate action." If we agreed to it we would not wish to commit our Governments to immediate action. We could not. It is a matter for themselves. Mr. HALDANE : The Conference is not an executive Conference, and I should have thought if you omitted those words and put in such words as " is of opinion " it would make it quite clear that the Conference is expressing only an opinion. Mr. DEAKIN : Yes. Sir WILFRID LAURIER : It is nothing more than an opinion there. It is to be left to the different Legislatures to legislate upon. Mr. DEAKIN : I the omission of these words, and the Resolution would then run : " That this Conference welcomes and cordially approves " the exposition of general principles embodied in the statement of the Secre- " tary of State for War and is of opinion that for the service of the Empire " a General Staff," and so on. Mr. HALDANE : " Is of opinion that there is a need." Mr. DEAKIN : Yes; " Is of opinion that there is a need of developing throughout the Empire." Dr. JAMESON : Why substitute " is of opinion " for the more emphatic " recognises and affirms " ? Mr. DEAKIN : In order to emphasize the fact that we are not executive but merely a consultative Conference, and that the governments are the people to decide. I have no objection to " recognises and affirms," but it is suggested that it might appear to go a little further than our function warrants. Sir JOSEPH WARD : We say we are not, of course, committing our countries to immediate action. Dr. JAMESON : We are only a Conference and cannot do anything. Why should not we " recognise and affirm " ? They are stronger words, and I do not see why we should weaken it. Mr. DEAKIN : I have no objection to " recognises and affirms," but was endeavouring to meet Sir Frederick Borden's view. Sir FREDERICK BORDEN : If the words " to immediate action " are left out, I am quite satisfied with the rest, and I have no particular objection then. CHAIRMAN : It is suggested that the whole sub-sentence from " without " to " represented " should come out.

Military Defence.