LEAGUE OF BRITISH NATIONS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17021, 18 December 1920, Page 13

LEAGUE OF BRITISH NATIONS.

SUGGESTED IMPERIAL j | EXECUTIVE. i — ! (rp.oll OCE OTT.V J LONDON, October 21. The chief articlo in the October numLor of "The Nineteenth Century ™ a S a " zinc deals with the futine status of tb« Dominions. It is from the pen of Viscount SanUou. %vl»o cutluit-S j the constitution and the scope of a pro- j posed Imperial "Executive. j •'1 siiouid confidently prophesy a fiTtnre ot more permanent niflue c -ood on international atiairs, _ writer, •'in a League of . * with one interest aild onc cmaiuon . ur pow, than in the many ditK'rent c and characters comprising the I ' L, ° , of Nations. On the biggest , world iinponanco the Empire mus one; the day when it has occab on t differ within itself will mark the ■ of the gieatest Power tbe world ieea; on such a day, if the on liigh policy are iM?r.sist<xl .in, lost to the Empire. Compete ' » itv of object, however, which can be a characteristic of the. voild b<3 , may witli al] confidence be x>redictcd the" British League. , , "He who would fight New /eah n figlits all the resources of the Empire, this would he the message conveyed to the world, by a Beer Ambassador f'H" t.io Empire at Berlin, an Australian at Pbtrograd. or at any other capital. Jiut this League of British Nations would have a far greater service to render the world than its own protection, uith it would be born Iho greatest guarantee of "World Peace which man lias ever beheld. Siding with the promoters of , peace and order, it could never l>ecomo an instrument of aggression, since most countries have learnt by now, what our 'iomocratic '.Empire realised long ago las to all the terrible sufferings Jind hardships and other immediate ills even a successful war brings with it, and the consequent harm to trade and to the welfare of the people." With viMjard to the personnel of an Imperial Executive tho writer suggests that it should bo drawn from .the very highest in the land, and that, an appointment to its membership should be the supremo honour within the reach of the greatest servant of the State. Nominations to this Executive would be made by tho King, on the advico of tho Prime Minister of each Dominion. "The Prime Ministers of each Dominion would be e:i officio members of this executive, and would bo encouraged to attend its meetings whenever they wished, but would not have actual voting power, as this would cause a balance of opinion in favour of one- particular Dominion. "The Council would consist of thirteen members, two from the Unite*! Kingdom. two from Canada, two' from Australia. two from South Africa, two from New Zealand, two frofci India—of which one. would be a white man and one a native, both nominated by tho live Prime Ministers with the acquiescence of_ tho Minister 'for India, and of the Viceroy—and one from Newfoundland, and possibly at a later period one from Egypt, ' and oven from other' Protectorates or colonics as they reached Dominion status. "As to tho voting power, I consider that tbo ruling at Paris was equitable and a precedent that may with all justice I>p followed —this would involve Newfoundland having only tho power of representation, and not of a vote, and New Zealand with two representatives having only ono vote; this would reduce the voting power to oleven, the Imperial Prime Minister always being allowed a vote, and not being reduced to the role of giving a casting voto only, since his post as Primo Minister woidd not give his Dominion any extra representation. A quorum for a decision would bo made whenever on< j member from each Dominion was present.'' Carrying the idea of the League of Empire further, it is suggested that the King should become' tho King of the Empire, to whom the Empire Prime Minister would be directly responsible in all matters over which the oxecutive Cabinet had control. Tho ultimate sanction for laws on other matters would rest with the "Governor" of the Dominion. _ / A lifetime appointment of the "Governors" it is maintained would unquestionably 1x» by far the best-, and hero follows a novel suggestion. "His Majesty lias four soils —what magnificent promise for the future and for tho building up of our Empire should these Royal Princes be appointed to tho responsibility of such posts! On all sides it is admitted, and has been abundantly proved in the war, that the sole tie that binds the oversea Dominions to the Old is the person»of tho King. Downing street, in its blind apathy of a decade and a half before the war to the political growth of the Dominions, has failedto eradicate the seeds of mistrust that still exist in tho minds of statesman and people overseas. Yet tho loyalty to tho Throne alone proved top Btrong to be broken under tho stress of a fouryear war, with its masses of oversea casualties. I am convinced that these elements in tho Dominions, which the war has proved to bo vastly predominating in each British country, will rally with joy to tho opportunity of securing tho King's son as their ruler, and there is v«ry little doubt' that the appointment would be confirmed by each Dpminion for • life, and, . most probably, hereditarily for the heirs. The effect of this on Imperial unitv and world peaco would be incalculable, and leave its mark till tho end of. time."