General Smuts, speaking at Pretoria on Friday last, took exception
to the action of the other Dominions in sending delegates to the Washington Conference without having received a direct invitation from America. Thies, he said, would give " a serious setback to that status of Dominion statehood and nationhood which was achieved at tho Peace Conference in Paris." He inferred that America had deliberately " challenged " his conception of the new status of the Dominions as " equal States." He admitted that, as South Africa " was not a great Power and had no direct interest in tho Pacific," he had not looked for an invitation to Washington. But, probably for reasons connected with South African politics, in which he has to oppose a vigorous Nationalist faction, he felt it necessary to raise the question. As Canada, Australia and New Zealand have made no difficulties about nominating representatives to the British Empire delega- tion, it may be presumed that they attach no importance to the technicalities which loom so large in General Smuts's legal mind. It is highly improbable that President Harding ever thought about the matter.
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