BY PERSONAL TOUCH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1926, Page 7

BY PERSONAL TOUCH

UNITING BRITISH EMPIRE

SERVICES OF ROYALTY

TRIBUTE BY EARL BALFOUR,

(United Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, Ist December.

A distinguished assemblage attended the pilgrims' dinner at tho Hotel Victoria. Viscount Cave presided. The Duke of York sat on his right, and the Prince of Wales on his left. The Earl of Balfour, in proposing the Duko of York's health, said that tho Duke was going oil a mission which I was neither administrative nor diplomatic, but was no less important to the Empire on that account. None could accomplish it so well as members of his House, achieving the personal touch, thus uniting every part of the Empire. Tho Earl of Balfour referred to the similar missions of the King and tho Prince of Wales, but said he doubted if either knew the incalculable value of their services. The tour of the Duke and Duchess of York supplid a vital link because it occurred after the Imperial Conference. It was said that there was nothing new in the resolutions at which they had arrived, "but what has never been explicitly stated is the moral, emotional base upon which the whole fabric exists. That has now been unanimously accepted. ALL PARTS OP GREATER WHOLE. "Tho new thing is not that there is no control by the Mother Country of tho self-governing Dominions, but that tho self-governing portions of tho Empire explicitly regard themselves as elements in a great unity, which does not depend on control, but on' common ideals. It is hard to accept the belief, that the great Empire can exist without control. For the first, time we have announced to the Empire that we arc an Empire of which the self-govcinhig portions are united by something greater, sublimer, more effective. It is oniy now that the Empire .cgins to be what it was predestined to be. It is only now brought home to its constituents that it is their business to manage their business as they please, but that they are all parts of a greater whole. I am certain the Dominions will always bo ready to offer their services to the Empire whenever the need arises. "An Empire in which control no longer counts must depend upon personal intercourse, and for this reason the service which the Duke of York is about to render will be immensely helpful. He comes of a r family to which all the citizens of the Empire loyally turn. He and the Duchess are singularly gifted for tho task they have taken upon themselves. The services they will render cannot, in tho existing circumstances of the Empire, be ioo highly over-valued. Therefore, we not only give them God-speed because we love and esteem them on their own account, but because of the great service they are about to render to tho Empire of which they are devoted children." ' . "UNITY WILL BE GREATER." Mr. Bruce paid a tribute to the Earl of Balbour's srvices at the Imperial Conforence. He said the Conference's report was one of the most valuable documents ever presented in our history. "There was no necessity to stress the unity of the Empire. It will be even greater than in the years that have gone. It lests upon our shoulders to take advantage thereof." In wishing the Duke and Duchess of York' Godspeed, Mr. Bruce offered them a warm welcome in Australia, particularly in view of the fact that they will open the Commonwealth Parliament at Canberra. Among the messages of goodwill read at the gathering was one from Mr. Coates.