The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1926. DOMINIONS AND CROWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1926. DOMINIONS AND CROWN.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the torong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that ice can do.

Though General Morgan is recognised throughout the English-speaking world as one of our greatest authorities on constitutional and international law, we are not inclined to accept his views on our own Imperial politics entirely without question or criticism. In tho course of the lectures, in connection with the Rhodes foundation, which he has been delivering at University College, London, lie has, just discussed the relations between the Dominions and the Crown in regard to foreign policy; and it seems to us that he has based his conclusions on a very erroneous hypothesis. \\ l , take strong exception to the phrase, "the demand of the Dominions for tho right to take part in the direction of foreign policy." When was such a demand put forward? What ground is there for the assertion, so frequently and confidently made at Home, that the Domnions will not be satisfied with anything less than active participation in the work of framing Britain's foreign policy? It is true that Mr. Lionel Curtis and other theorists and doctrinaires, whose personal knowledge of the state of public sentiment in the Dominions is extremely inadequate, have repeatedly declared that the Dominions are so anxious to be received as partners in the work of shaping Britain's foreign policy that they will mako almost any conceivable sacrifice to secure this object. But for this assumption, it seems to us, there is no foundation. It is true that the Dominions are profoundly interested in most of the aspects of British foreign policy, and it is also true that, in regard to all matters which directly concern them in Britain's foreign relations, they expect to be communicated with and consulted, as members of that great federal alliance which we call the Empire. But they recognise also that the difficulties in the way of direct representation on the Imperial Councils arc great, and they are therefore for the most part content to reserve to themselves the right of following Britain's lead or not in any international crisis as circumstances ' may demand. The probabilities are . immensely in favour of the assumption " that they will accept Britain's decision in such matters. But it is almost equally certain that if they thoroughly disapproved of Britain's foreign policy they i would decline to accept her direction or i follow her guidance, even if they enjoyed ; personal representation in an Imperial " Cabinet or Parliament. All that tho Dominions need, or ask, is the fullest possible information about Britain's ' purposes and intentions in the sphere of E foreign politics; and if they are con- ', suited to this extent we believe that they will be far more likely to maintain r their loyalty and fidelity to Britain in ~ the face of all possible contingencies - than if they were represented iv an * Imperial Cabinet—on which at any 1 moment they might be hopelessly out--2 voted—and were irrevocably bound by \ its decisions. That is not the sort of privilege that the Dominions desire, and 1 certainly they would not be prepared j to offer in exchange for it, as Mr. Lionel i Curtis and his friends believe, the ) sacrifice of their highly-prized rights of J fiscal and political autonomy. J Happily for us all, the Colonial 1 Office at the present time sees the desirability of giving the Dominions, as far as possible, untrammelled freedom of - action, even in regard to such a difficult 5 and deli.ate situation as has arisen in : New South Wales. It is stated that : the Colonial Secretary, in response to requests for direction and advice about the conflict of opinion between the State Governor and the Prime Minister, has virtually told the disputants to "settle it themselves." That is sound 1 Imperial policy, whether we apply the > principle to the constitution of a Second Chamber or the wider problems of Imperial policy and. the Dominions' share in its direction or control.