CANADIAN VIEWPOINTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 107, 2 November 1926, Page 9

CANADIAN VIEWPOINTS

SUGGESTED PARTY TRUCE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) \ LONDON, Bth September. V>. "The Times" publishes a letter fromi Mr. Wallace Nesbitt, of Toronto, who characterises the last thirty-five years as having- been the melting-pot of Imperial life.

Yet nothing, he says, has melted save heavy traditional usages, conventional mental habits of officials in Downing Street, and the ofteu mistaken perceptions of the capitals of the nations of the Empire. "Wo are where we were in a real sense, yet to-day more vital forces are at work than ever before, and it might even seem as if some of the Dominions were reaching out to still greater powers. The King of England has do real political power, but he has immense influence, and the overseas Dominions fought in the late war, not for the English people, but for that which gave them their' true freedom—the Crown. It is essential that all parties sliould be present at the Imperial Conference —the Premiers of the overseas Dominions and the leaders of the Opposition in, those States. The Imperial life should be independent of party, and no Dominion Prime Minister should bear alone the great responsibility; it should be the agreed policy; of his Legislature. That can only be when for the moment a coalition of Imperial life is formed,1 as was the case in the Government of England'during the late World War. There should be a truce to all strife where Imperial life is concerned, and nothing could excoed the sense of moral satisfaction in the loyal Dominions if Mr. Meighen, and Mr. Mackenzie King should both appear in London, whichever may be Prime Minister: and the same may be ' said of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland. It would lessen the bitterness of political warfare if, all parties could 'come .together' at the Imperial Council table. It cannot be thought that England would dissent from this." "TOO MUCH POLITENESS." ' In the September number of the "National Review," Mr. H. S. Murton,. in! "Canada and the Imperial Confer* once," discusses the coming General Election in Canada, and criticises tbei "over-politeness" of the Imperial Conferences. He says:— "The Imperial Conference is toflf stilted and artificial. It can. aetosi' plish little unless there is a strong atmosphere of co-operation and desire to consolidate the Empire. A great deal depends upon the result of the flection in Canada. If Mackenzie King is returned and lines up with the Irish Fres' State and South Africa to put querulous constitutional questions, which afft frivolous in the face of the Empire 'H real needs, the conference may as well not be held. ' ■ "But even if Arthur Meighen is re* turned the character of the Cdnferenca should be averted. There is too much' ! politeness, too much speech -making) Giving the Premiers a good social weT". come is not bringing the.Empire closei;' together. The Conference is not in* tended to bo an advertisement of thei Empire to foreign Powers, but a meet* ing to get down and settle something. about the real problems of the gfll2~ pirc." ,".-- —--1-1