The Press Wednesday, August 29, 1923. The Future of the Empire.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17854, 29 August 1923, Page 8

The Press Wednesday, August 29, 1923. The Future of the Empire.

Sir Lionel Phillips uses a wrong figure iu the letter to "Tho Times" (summarised in a cable message in to-day's paper) in which he discusses the growth of national self-consciousness in the Dominions. Ho speaks of tho rapid growth of the powers of the Dominions, and of the advancing, by more than one colonial statesman of "claims virtually amounting to the claim of independence" —claims in which "the "Imperial authorities have tacitly li acquiesced/' The change, he said, "had crept in insidiously, almost unnoticed by tho bulk of the people, "like the spread of an infectious "malady." This, we say, is a wrong figure to use, for it implies what it is neither wise nor reasonable to believe, namely, that the disposition of Borne of the Dominions to assert their national status is either a mark of diseaso or a consequence of consciously or unconsciously evil forces. If this really were tho explanation of the variously-ex-pressed nationalism of Canada, Australia, and South Africa, the Empire would bo in evil case. Nothing could stop the rot: tho Empire -would end. Fortunately there is no reason to suppose that anything bo gruesome is behind tho latest development of intra-Impcrial relations. The. Prime Ministers of • Canada, Australia, and South Africa will go to London with as keen a desire aB Mr Massey's to keep the Empire in good working order, and in every Dominion—not in New -Zealand alone—there is an overwhelming majority of men to -whom the maintenance of the Empire as a firm union of freo States under the Crown is the most important of all political interests. Sir Lionel Phillips realises this, but he suggests that this overwhelming majority does not realise the danger that tho Empire may "tumble to pieces." He says, indeed, that unless steps are taken to enlighten the public, "it seems prob"able that the Empiro will bo dissolved into a number of small States "without the great bulk of the people "being aware of what has happened." Although it is true that the public j gives less thought to the problems of Imperial development than it ought to, it is impossible to believe that any step towards dissolution can be proposed without arousing alarm. Watchmen — honest and capable—abound in the United Kingdom and in the Dominions, and they have not been negligent of their duty, nor arc they likely to become so. But, Sir Lionel Phillips's argument appears to retort, insidious changes may be made, the effects of which those making them may not foresee. . This, of course, is possible, but if the Empire cannot escape tho rule of incompetence it will break down anyhow. A more hopefuTview may.be taken without much hesitation. In the long run the Empire can be held together only by the desire of its peoples that it shall hold together. When this desire fails, nothing can avert dissolution. There is no sign whatever that the desire is failing. Some rash men aTo asking that each Dominion not only shall be free to go its own way in polities and trade, but shall proceed to do so. But no responsible person, even amongst those who have most strongly assorted the theoretical independence of each Dominion, has failed to admit that it is the paramount interest of the Dominions to consider each other and the United Kingdom and the Empire as a whole. Tho crucial questions are three only: foreign policy, Imperial defence, and trade relations. So far as foreign policy is concerned, it is now universally admitted that the Dominions must have some voice in it, and the only problem is the finding of machinery to give effect to the common desire. Imperial defence is a rather more troublesome question, but the ultimate fact that the interests of all parts of the Empire are one will be the deciding fact. As to trade relations, the great difficulty is the tendency, in every .Dominion, of some sections, of the trading community to insißt upon their own interests to the exclusion of the interests of the United Kingdom and of other parts of the Empire. But any dangers arising from dissension on any of these three main issues can be met by the growth of an Empire-wide consciousness of the part which the Empire must take in the affairs of the world. While, therefore, we believe that Sir Lionel Phillips has taken a tone unduly alarmist, nothing but good can come of his suggestion that, the public should be led to take an active interest in Imperial problems. .