The Press. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 19912. WHEN DANGER THREATENS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14546, 24 December 1912, Page 8

The Press. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 19912. WHEN DANGER THREATENS.

We have not concealed from onr readers the fact that in our opinion tho British Empire is now entering upon a very serious crisis in its history. Tho ultimate result of the discussion which is now soing on in Canada regarding the future policy of that country, in the matter of naval defence, must bo awaited with keen anxiety by all British subjects who have £»iven serious attention to tho Empire's affairs. It is usual to take the loyalty of Canada as something absolute and unimpeachable, but very few people outside of the crcat Dominion understand the exact mature of that loyalty. We 'have no hesitation in saying that it is not loyalty to tho Mother Country as wo in Now Zealand understand it. Canadians arc so filled with pride in the limitless expanse and boundless resources of their own land that they aro raiher inclined to look down upon tho Mother Country. They aro intensely patriotic in the sense that they would fiercely resist any proposal that Canada should become politically associated with the United States, or with any other country, and they aro loyal to the Throne, as Britishers are everywhere. A larjre proportion of the population, however, particularly that livinc in French Canada. possess a- very inadequate- idea of Imperial iiiiion. and of tho necessity of joint action ia regard to Imperial Defence. Sir Wilfrid Lruirier said that during the recent elections, on hundreds of platform* in Quebec tho question appeared. "What do we oho England?" and was answered by shouts of "Xoth"ingl" This was denied by an Opposition speaker, but wo hardly think Sir Wilfrid "Laurier would have made the statement if thorn had not been somo foundation for it. The late General Homer Lea, in "The Day of the " Saxon." the sequel to "The Valour "of Ignorance, , ' has one very striking sentence in the chapter headed, "The "Saxon and America." Ho says: " Canadian Dominion consists of one six- " teenth of tho land surface of tho "globe, ami it is in all this vastness " that brood tho day and deeds of the "day we dread to contemplate" He points out that the waste spaces of

Canada will have to be filled up, mainly by immigration, and tbat at tho present time, "while tho source, of the "immigration of tho United States is " more than two-fold that of tho Brit- '■ ish Isles, that of Europe is t-en-fo!d. " In the predominant nationalities now " invading Canada, there is not to be " found a single element that tends to '* perpetuation of tho Saxon race, or " that would not destroy its foundations and bring about the final pas- •'• sage of Canadian fealty, for the "principle of British unity, to tho con- " trol of tho non-Saxon elements. The " beginning of this is oven now appar- " ent in Canadian affairs, through the ■' growth of Canadian control over " conditions that appertain alono to " the Empire. This is due to the " development of local politics, and " consequent subversion of Imperialism "to Sectionalism, and tho falso ideal '" of equality between tho Dominion "ancl tho Empire Equality between " tho whob and one- of its component " parts is an impossibility. Canadian " interests can possess no such preced- " ence if the Empire is to endure." In this passage, wo think, General Homor Lea put his finger on tho groat danger which threatens tho British Empire at this moment. Canada does not own allegiance to tho Mother Country, and does not consider herself subordinate to tho Empire. On the contrary, she considers herself equal to tho Empire, and looks forward to tho fay when tho seat of Government will bo moved from London to Ottawa, or some other point within the Canadian Dominion. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in his proposal for a Canadian Fleet to bo kept under Canadian control, and possibly to remain inactive even when the Empire is at war, has yielded entirely to the sectional feeling which Homer Lea regarded as so dangerous. Mr Borden, on the other hand, is making a bold, patriotic, and enlightened attempt to conservo the unity of the Empire by inducing Canada to do her part towards the defence of the Empire as a whole. "The most dangerous belief that ever " laid hold of the Saxon race," says tho distinguished military author from whom we have quoted, "is the delusion " that by defending separately their " segregated portions of the Empire, "they aro able to defend the whole, " whereas it is only true that by tho "defenco of the Empire in its con- " creto character aro tho components " protected." We need hardly say that theso solemn words have a lesson for us, as well as for the peoplo of Canada. If the proposed Pacific Fleet, to which it is suggested the Dominions should contribute, is to bo placed under the control of the British Admiralty, then it will be an cffecttYo and valuable addition to the defence of the Empire. If, however, it is to bo placed under sectional control, then it will bo a source of weakness, and may ultimately prove an important factor in tho disruption of tho Empire.