The Dominions and Mr. Thomas It is not often that
a responsible statesman in one country' of the British Commonwealth publicly criticises a statesman in another Commonwealth country. All the more importance, therefore, attaches to the remarkable attack on Mr. J. H. Thomas made a week ago in the Parliament of Western Australia by the Premier, Mr. Phillip Collier. He is reported to have said that Mr. Thomas was the only man in the British Government who Showed no concern for the Dominions. He had no conception of Australia's difficulties, continued Mr; Collier, and had no desire to understand them ; he saw Australia from the viewpoint of a boss, in the same way as a master regarded the buttons and yard man (whatever that may be). Some allowance should perhaps be made for the fact that a section of Western Australian opinion is smarting, under the refusal of the United Kingdom Parliament to entertain the secession petition. But Mr. Collier's sentiments are far from unique. At the time of the Cabinet reconstruction in June the Melbourne Age wrote : • " Mr.. Thomas's continued occupancy of the Dominions Office is deeply deplored. As Dominions Secretary he is a distressing misfit. It is a matter for regret that this office, already important and destined to become much more so, should be controlled by person palpably disqualified by reason of his temper, methode of negotiation, and lack of knowledge and sympathy when Dominions questions are being weighed in the balance. The high traditions of the position demand that its occupant should be capable of interpreting to the British people the attitude and aspirations of the Dominions by reason of his range of intellectual vision, his personal contacts, and his experience."
Such views will provoke little dissent in this country. As Dominions Secretary Mr. Thomas is an Imperial disaster.
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