Spectator's Notebook
THE Prime Minister has been busy preparing he ground for the delicate discussions with his Commonwealth colleagues which begin on Monday. By that time he will have had long Private talks with Mr. Holyoake of New Zealand, Mr. Menzies of Australia, and Mr. Diefenbaker of Canada. They are all men with a sense of history and they know that, whatever the un- certainties of their own political position, they should have their eyes fixed on the prospects of abundant opportunity ten, fifteen, twenty years ahead and not riveted on the immediate com- mercial inconvenience to their countries of Bri- tain's entry into Europe. They know very well also that if Britain had been negotiating with the SIX Purely on her own account she would have been in Europe already. We can be sure that Mr. Macmillan will be at his most persuasive, .411d firmest —for the future of Britain, when all is said, cannot be decided by the profit margin 2,-,11 ,11thtton. As Mr. Menzies said when he arrived: 'In is going to be a conference requiring a great deal of mutual understanding, patience, Prune very few slick comments.' The Nigerian
Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, .„
`ntl not seem to be of like mind on his arrival, but no doubt he felt obliged to guard himself against African neighbours only too ready to accuse him of selling out. Much of the anti- e arketeering propaganda tries to make heavy °tive use of the faded mother-children image 071 the Commonwealth. This cannot be welcome a°. the
- rime Ministers who see it rather as a hots of more or less like-minded adults. I
Ilos D Pe that dignity prevails after, as well as during, the conference.
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