BOUND TO AN OCTOPUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 61, 11 March 1916, Page 5

BOUND TO AN OCTOPUS.

E—LPIR—'S ?A__,OTJS PLIGHT. OUR AFTER-WAR TASK. GERMANY'S REAL DEATH BLOW. LONDON', March 10. The King granted an audience to the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. W.arVi. UugllPH. Subsequently Mr. Hughes attended a Cabinet meeting, where Mr. Asquith introduced liini to.the other Ministers. At a Parliamentary luncheon given in honour of Mr. Hughes, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Bonar I—w, made a speech. Uc said that Britain, ut war, had given the enemy many surprises, but the greatest, surprise was the additional strength the Dominions gave to the Empire. Australia, New Zealand, md Canada were no more loyal to Britain than Britain was loyal to them. Tlie Dominions realised' that the battle wad sis much for them as for Britain, involving everything thoy hold dear and everything making life worth living. Any, Government which did not bring victory wu-s inevitably criticised. The people in Britain had power in their own hands, but the Dominions were different. ]licy poured forth money and sacrificed the lives of their best men, and neither say nor control in the way in which the money and lives were spent. Their criticism would be very different, and a .more dangerous thing. MUST BE A CHANGE. "The existing state of things," continued Mr. Law, "whereby the Dominions give so much and have so little control, cannot be permanent. Things after the war cannot remain the sarfte. The war has shown the Empire to be one in spirit and action, and therefore means should be found to make it one in structure for all time." He personally believed that the future would depend on the action of the Dominions. The Mother Country would welcome almost any scheme they would approve, and they would probably find a big step as easy, to take as a little one. Mr. Hughes, replying, reviewed the events of the war. The Germans saw prospects of rich loot, and were buoyed up with the hope, not especially for the downfall of Britain, but for the con—lereial and industrial domination of tho earth. Reviewing the hold the Germans had obtained on the trade of the Empire, Mr. Hughes said that the British had lived in a fool's paradise. It was futile to bewail, but it would be criminal not to learn wisdom therefrom. A REAL EMPIRE. Regarding the relations between tho Dominions and the Mother Country. Mr. Hughes hoped to see a policy evolved to make the word "Empire" mean something more than in the past. If they could establish for over a, federation of the Empire, it would ensure the peace of the world. Britain had been expanding her commercial and industrial position at the expense of the national safety, imagining there was no relation between them. Britain's absolute dependence for her very existence turned npon the possession of raw material and munitions, yet she had bound herself body and soul to the German octopus controlling copper, zinc, and lead. "We shall be worse tlian fools if wo do not learn our lesson from the manner in which we have been betrayed," said Mr. Hughes. "Everything must be subordinated to the destruction of Germany's control of British trade. Thereby we will strike a blow at Germany more important than a decisive land battle. When the war is decided, Germany's opportunities for world dominion must be gone for ever." Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, an ex-New Zealand Minister, proposed the health of the chairman. Mr, Bonar Law announced that, dnring Mr. Hughes' visit, the Government would have no secrets from him. This is regarded as an indication that Mr. Hughes has been invited to participate in tho highest councils of the nation whenever Dominion subjects are diieujued. "• - ~ v ~ —.j— —