SCRAP THE EMPIRE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 3000, 19 December 1935, Page 15

SCRAP THE EMPIRE

K -NEW PHILOSOPHY.

| GIFTS TO FOREIGNERS. OUGHT WE TO HANG OUR HEADS ? (% AN OLD STAGER.) LONDON, November 23. In the fascinating pageant of our his--or7r7 many splendid figures stand out *" ain st the drop-curtain of the centuries. \ er ' la ps most of us who have devoted 'srioug study to the subject have our special pets in the recondite gallery of languished historical actors. When read a great novel, or see a really w we are inipelled to take some iiifT CU '? r character, not always the Wentie hero of the story, more closely ■ our hearts. .if 11 things considered, my favourite Wv!' 6r rea l history is that handWilt Elizabethan captain, Sir . «ter Raleigh, who played so many Bir Br acious distinction. Brusque thn nc ' a Drake, another Devon wor:W»mns him close, but I think Raleigh's in v 1 P' rsona 'ity weighs down the scales ji 18 -favour. Yet now I realise that. fijeat literary courtier-captain who i. 4 ® ?ur pioneer of Empire stands coni ct ed of shortsightedness. ® 6 t lacked the perspicacity, when he promised his Queen "an Empire greater the King of Spain hath any," to ' es | e the time when that vast overa dominion would become a, reproach e minds of some of his future" com-

patriots. The bold Elizabethan never envisaged a day when the leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons would urge us to call a meeting of foreign nations to parcel out the Biitish Empfre. amongst them in order to placate their enmity. Still less did he imagine that a twentieth century statesman, a former holder of the high post of Attorney-General, would tell his fellow-countrymen they ought to be ashamed that they were British. An Ardent Pacifist. In so far as' it is the special attribute of statesmanship to read accurately into the future and foresee coming events, this failure must be reckoned a blemish in Kaleigh's otherwise magnificent record of high achievement. But all the same, while conceding thus much, I feel a strong urge to do my poor best as his apologist. Let us take first the case put forward by Mr. Lansbury, who wants us to throw our British Empire to the wolves of ambitious militarism. His object is, like that of "the operatic celebrity, "all sublime." As an ardent pacifist, Mr. Lansbury sees how territorial possessions provide armed aggression, and he would fain lay that affrighting spectre by doling out ours like gifts fioni a Christmas tree.

But surely Mr. Lansbury, in his romantic role of international Eather Christmas, overlooks the facto. Neany all our former British colonies are today great self-governing nations of independent status, though bound to the Motherland still, we hope, by ties blood kinship and the still stronger ones of kindred democratic ideas.

Does he seriously imagine that Aus, tralia, South Africa or Canada, for example, would consent to be made burnt offerings and sacrifices even on the altar of pure pacifism? Our vast Dominion of India is even now m process of similar political evolution, Would Mr. Lansbury desire to include

India in his parcelling-out process, and would the people of India be grateful for such vicarious benefaction 011 liis part ?

If, on the other hand, Mr. Lansbury's scheme of Empire-scrapping in the interests of Socialised pacifism applies only to still dependent colonies or mandated territories, should he not consult first, before proceeding to hand them round to strangers like doles from a so\ip kitchen, the desires of their native and settler inhabitants? Or does Mr. Lansbury regard the private wishes and political inclinations of such people as not worth weighing in the balance of international peace ? To me it seems an odd' suggestion to come from such a stalwart believer in democratic freedom and personal liberty, that whole overseas communities, black or white, should be handed over to the Mussolinis and Hitlers of slave States, such as Italy and Germany are in the eyes of all genuine democrats. Looked at in that light, Mr. Lansbury's gesture appears to lose a good, deal of its sublime philanthropy. It might even be regarded as being at once high-handed and craven-hearted. Would Prove Disastrous. It may be that the British Empire is now ripening to the decline and fall stage, though personally I can as yet perceive no outward and visible symptoms of that debacle, but rather the reverse. For it seems to me that we are at this moment displaying considerable Imperial virility, as well as unanimity, in championing the cause of justive and real pacifism in Europe and Africa. But, even assuming Mr. Lansbury's impulse is well founded, what would be its results? I fancy a parcelling out of our Imperial assets might, in fact, prove a disastrous apple of discord thrown into the Eden of European diplomacy. There would' be a terrific struggle for the finest chunks. Because the fervent self-and-otliers immolation of Mr.., Lansbury -does jioJ"..at _all inspire

the statesmen who have control of affairs in other lands than ours. In his desire to avoid war, Mr. Lansbury would be furiously provoking it.

Nor has Mr. Lansbury, it would seem, given thought to the quite incontrovertible fact that, where the British flag flies, not only is there personal freedom, but also economic freedom. Whatever other crimes. we may be accused of, we have never in our colonising activities pursued a dog-in-the-manger policy. We claimed no sole exclusive trading rights anywhere. Any reversal of that open-door economic policy by the new possessors of these Imperial benefactions might sorely afflict Mr. Lansbury's own people here at home.

It seems to have become the riiodern fashion in certain political schools which I must respectfully describe as quarterbaked, to regard the British Empire as a, scandal and a mistake. But how, but for that empire, would this tiny island off the coast of western Europe have been able to support a population of nearly 50,000,000 souls ? And what would bo the repercussions in our teeming industrial areas, already hard pressed to eke a living, if existing free markets were to be suddenly reserved against us? But perhaps Mr. Lansbury, in his naive simplicity of heart, imagines that a free trade millennium is just round the corner ? A Reproach. ! Then we have that illustrious lawyer, Sir Stafford Crippg, who tells us we ought to be ashamed, and hang our heads, that we are British. Why this sort of philosophy need form any part even of British Communism is something that passes my understanding. I do not personally share the Communist political creed. I am convinced that a condition of. real Communism would he extremely unpleasant and distasteful to the vast majority of Sir Stafford's fellow countrymen, once they actually experienced it. But even Moscow, for all its Red Communism, preaches a, passionate and fiery patriotism, Young Russians arc not

regaled with influential propaganda urging them to hang their heads at the name of Russia. This cult of patriotic abasement and grovel is a purely British monopoly so far as it exists, and Sir Stafford Cripps is substantial hornrimmed evidence that exist it actually does. That fact, I think, is a reproach to our system of education.

Much leas extreme and embittered people than the ex-Attorney-General are to lie heard deprecating the buccaneering spirit of our great Elizabethan forbears. This attitude, though it may stir indignation in eomo minds, is really due less to perverted notions than to what Dr. Samuel Johnson would emphatically call "sheer ignorance, madam."

Drake and his captains, apart from living three centuries ago, when the world and its ethics were very different, were engaged in a life-and-death struggle with Spain, which in their day represented as cruel and grinding a tyranny as any of the sons of men have had cause to dread. To them it was as righteous and holy a deed "to singe the beard of the King of Spain" as to King Hal of Agincourt was the breeding of a son, "half French, half English, who shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the heard."

These brave words sound rude to sophisticated and safe-feeling ultrademocratic ears. But to condemn the stout hearts that acted up to them in their own century is not a bit less absurd than it would be for the R.S.P.C.A. to pass a vote of censure on Saint George for his brutal treatment of the dragon.