THE DOMINIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 103, 3 May 1919, Page 10

THE DOMINIONS

THEY MUST BE RECOGNISED.

Sir Gilbert Parker, writing in. the Daily Chronicle, points out that England and her overseas Dominions are entering upon a 'new pha.se of understanding and cooperation. Old things have not passed away, but tho great war has brought about a larger senso of duty and responsibility. . . • "Now wo Have to face the future, and wo mUßfc have, closer constitutional union. I do not believe that it will como through ■a Federal Parliament for tho whole 35mpfre, but I do believe it will come through, a federal system for theso islands—^two Parliaments for Ireland and one for England, fer Scotland, and for Wales, with representatives of the overseas Dominions in. our Cabinet, so perpetuating to the common benefit the principle laid down in our Imperial War Cabinet since this war began. No other method seems possible. We cannot have & central Parliament for the whole Empire, but we can havo a central Parliament here for Great Britain and Ireland, and so remove the I-rish question from politics in all our. overseas Dominions and in the United States, and wo can havo in our Cabinet representatives like General Smuts, who will deal with all foreign affairs and all questions that affect the Empire at large. "By this "means we shall ma-ke effective use of the opportunities which tho war lias given. As the lafee Sir Wilfrid Laurier said, 'We must como closer together or. wo shall drift further apart.' We can go on no longer in the haphazard way that has marked our doings with bur ovoreeas Dominions. We must be definite, wo must let tho Dominions still retain their complete freedom, with full control over their own affairs, yet bearing s with us Imperial duties, and tho best way to do it is by giving them a-'shaie in our Cabinet ■responsibilities.

"There are several 'Colonial-born' in the Government now, - though no longer living in the colonies—Mr. Sonar Law, Dr. Mocmun&xa; Lord Beaverbrook was a. member of the Government, Mr. Cecil Beck was born in. South Africa, and Mr. Lan Malcolm, who is Mr. Balfour's private 'secretary, wjjs born in Canada. There is no longer a reproach in being a ■ 'Colonial,' and for the future all that ifi needed is to let mon live in the Dominions, and yet be members of our Cabinet."