Though there was much hostile criticism when Senator Pearce, the Australian Minister for Defence, was sent to Washington to attend the Disarmament Conference, the feeling of dissatisfaction has died away. In the first place the cables have advised us that Senator Pearce has made an excellent impression, and this has been confirmed by Mr..\Mark Sheldon, the Australian Trade Commissioner to the S.A., who has just returned to Australia More than these euloglums, however, has been the Australian delegate's success in securing Amberican recognition of Australia's standing on the same footing as at Versailles, and next the submarine amendment whereby all the signatories bound themselves to regard the indiscriminate sinking of merchant ships as an act of niraey, not only on the part of nationals of the countries agreeing, but also of every country in the world. In brief, Britain, America, France and Japan have declared war against piracy by submarines, by whomsoever committed.
As during his absence Senator Pearce has been apparently deposed from his office of Defence Minister, which he has held for so many years, the feeling is growing that he is probably intended by Mr. Hughes as the successor of Mr. Mark Sheldon. It will not be argued that he has special qualifications for the commercial side of the position, but he has already proved that diplomatically he may be of great assistance to the British Ambassador. It has been felt for a long time that Australia should be more closely in touch with official America, but the Australian press has generally opposed the idea on the grounds that it would involve unnecessary expense, and that a Dominion diplomat could at best be but a fifth wheel to the Imperial coach. Possibly the efforts of New York financiers. to get a stronger grip upon Australian government. stocks may have stimulated the change of public opinion, but it is certain that even the strongest opponents in the past of the appointment of a successor to Mr. Sheldon would not be satisfied if now there were no appointment, and further if the appointment were as restricted to trade as that of Mr. Sheldon's has been.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.