PRIM IN THE EMPIRE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 3

PRIM IN THE EMPIRE

CALMNESS OF KING AND PRINCE OF WALES

MR. J. H. THOMAS ON LABOUR RULE

THE CONSTITUTION MUST BE

PRESERVED.

CFHOM OUR OVS CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, sth February. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales was the guest of honour at the luncheon of the Australian and New Zealand Luncheon Club arranged to celebrate the 136 th anniversary of the first British settlement in Australia. Further interest centred round the occasion, for it was the first appearance in public of the Eight Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., in his capacity o£ Secretary of Stats for the Colonies. Mr. Thomas paid a warm and loyal tribute to the King and the Prince of Wales, especially in regard to their attitude Cvard the Labour Ministry. Sir Joseph Cook, who presided, had the Prince at his right and Mr. Thomas at. his left. To the left of Mr. Thomas was the new American Ambassador, who separated him from his predecessor at the Colonial Office, the Duke of Devonshire. Guests present included: Admiral Sir L. Halsey, Sir Godfrey Thomas, Sir James Allen, Sir T. B. "and Lady Robinson, Sir A. and Lady Weigall, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mevrett.

Sir J. Cook referred to the Dominion tours of the Prince of Wales, and declared that no man in the British Empire worked harder than he did. Responding to the toast of his health, the Prince described Australia's birthday as a great day in Australia. When Captain Phillips and his small band of adventurerers anchored in Sydney Cove they did far more than hoist the Union Jack under the .Southern Cross. Foreseeing the temporal greatness of that country, they laid the foundation 136 years ago of a peace-encompassed State, of a Commonwealth of one race, speaking one language, and occupying no less than a whole continent. The names of the great pioneers, from whose labours in early remote settlements had developed the great cities,of to-day, were written in Australia's comparatively short history, as were also the names of the gallant explorers who had, traversed trackless- wastes of desert and mapped out areas rich. in agricultural promise. They had left, to Australia heritage and example of work well done, but of much work still left to do. DEMAND FOR MEN OF VISION. All now realised the responsibility which lay on the citizens of the two greater sister Dominions—Australia and JN Tew Zealand—who stood in the Southern Ocean as free citadels of British ideals of Empire. The Dominions had more than ever since the Great War responsibilities in the. Empire and the world as self-gov-erning nations. This was brought home to all in tha recent Imperial Conference. He regretted that,two overeas Premiers were not present. Mr. Massey had a great record of service to New Zealand and the Empire, and held the unique position of being the only wartime Premier left at the present time. Mr. Bruce was a comparative stranger here as a public man, but was well known both as soldier and a sportsman. He left behind many friends and admirers and a record of straight statesmanship of which Australia might very well be proud. "This age demands such men of vision," concluded the Prince, "not only to see xVustralia and A'ew Zealand marching forward towards undreamt of desti.nies, but to realise that upon, their wellbeing and prosperity as members of our great family depends so much the peace of this world. There is an old French saying: 'Once you start eating, you soon get hungry.'. I cannot eat too much of the Empire. I hope this year will see the fulfilment of the task "of seeing all the Dominions for myself when I sail for South Africa on Ist May. I am looking forward to my visit to South Africa.as much as any."

"OH, ANOTHER SHELL-SHOCK PATIENT!" With the toast of the Colonial Office were coupled the names of the present immediate past Secretaries, of State for the Colonies—-Mr. Thomas and the Duke of Devonshire. Mr. Thomas related his first experience as Colonial Minister. "When ' I visited the Colonial Office on Tuesday," lie said, ''I presented myself with all humility and with the modesty characteristic of my party. (Laughter.) 1 was met by a porter on the steps. I said I wanted to go to the Colonial Office. 'Who do you want to see?' he asked. In reply I said, 'I am not quite sure. I want the Colonial Office.' 'Yes, but who do you want to' see?' 'I want to see the office,' I replied, and then, thinking I had better get at it right away, I said, 'I am the Colonial Secretary.' He looked at me, and. then, turning to another porter, but in a voice audible to me said, 'Ah, another shellshock patient." (Loud laughter.) I was not very flattered, but, at all events, I had arrived.'' (Renewed laughter.) -

THE KING AND THE NEW GOVERNMENT. "Having accepted the seals of office," continued Mr. Thomas, "and looking back over the past five days, I am more ; proud of our Empire than I ever was before. Th 13' is a non-political gathering, and I am certainly not going to talk politics; but I am going to draw certain conclusions from tile events of the past five clays. We have passed through a momentous period. A sort of bloodless revolution lias taken place; tlie most that has been spilt is ink, not blood. This great change has taken place without any disturbance, without any upheaval. British trade, commerce, and finance are progressin"' as if nothing had happened. We have all settled -.'own to the fact that there has com e into being, and is goyerning our great Empire to-day, a new party! There were many who were apprehensive. The least apprehensive was the Prince of Wales. The only exception 10 him I would make would be his illustrious and distinguished father. (Cheers.) They were the least perturbed because they were the most wise. They were the most wise because they knew their people better than others, "because they bng recognised that patriotism, love of Empire, service, and duty were not the gift or monopoly of a class or creed; because they recognised' that there were men born in humble circumstances, denied the ordinary opportunities of a 'var.sity education, denied those privileges that come from real learning, but whose sense of duty, whose lave of country, and whose patriotism were equal to any other type of men;; because they were not unmindful of the fact that in the dark period of 1914-13 this great Empire of ours, with all that it means and stands for, w;is defended and. preserved by the man from the slum as well as from the palace, recognising a common duty and a eomnun obligation. (Cheers.) 11 in that hour of trial all sections could unite in defence of that which was right, a!i sections can be trusted to do the ri^ht thing at any given moment. That Is why tiiis great change, this change

o£ seals of office, merely means that the Old Country and the Old Empire still go on." (Cheers.) THE EMPIRE MUST BE MAINTAINED. Referring to his predecessor in office (the Duke of Devonshire), Mr. Thomas said that they both came from a great county. Politically they disagreed. "He has done his damnedest to unseat me," said Mr. Thomas, " and he has always realised that it is impassible for me to unseat him. Notwithstanding those political differences, and the social difference between us, with all those characteristics ■which make us proud of him, when I became his successor in office he unhesitatingly said: ' My services and experience, all that I know is placed at your disposal.' (Cheers.) That was characteristic of that spirit which not only makes us proud of our country, but which makes us feel that whatever changes or difficulties may be, this Old Country will survive them all. I hope that in 136 years' time our successors will be able to say that we did nothing as pioneers to weaken this great Empire of which we are all so proud. I accepted the seals of office with pride and gratitude—pride because I can look back to the day when I was a little errand boy nine years of age; gratitude to the Constitution that enables the enginecleaner of yesterday to be the Minister of to-day. That Constitution, so broad, so wide, 'so democratic, must be preserved, and the Empire which provides :t must be maintained." (Loud cheers.) Although he had no longer any official connection with the Cobnial Office, the Duke of Devonshire regarded the fifteen I months during which he was responsible for that post with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. They had faced their difficulties with courage, and they had been actuated with the iutention of doing what they could for the permanent welfare and well-being of the Empire. It was perhaps a little early to pass an opinion upon ~what the future might bring, but he was perfectly prepared to say in public what he had said to Mr. Thomas-in private, that if he (the Duke) and his colleagues criticised it would be only because ,they were all anxious to arrive at the best possible solution, and, so far as he was concerned and those for .whom he could speak, they were prepared to use every possible effort for. the further development and prosperity of the Empire. (Cheers.) With freedom from official cares, he hoped to be able to devote more time to the British Empire Exhibition; and if the Colonial Secretary could spare a few moments they trusted he would shortly go djwn to Wembley and see the work in progress. " I would also drop him a hint," added the Duke, " that if he would just hurry the railwaymen up a little more, we might possibly be able to get on with the work a little quicker." (Laughter.)-