DOMINION FLAGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 January 1928, Page 3

DOMINION FLAGS

SEEKING A SOLUTION.

“They do not like a bar sinister over their escutcheon as if they were bastards and not legitimate . . . the indignity of forcing upon them a difference in the flag.” So Fronde in his “Oceana,” written over 40 years ago. He is fresh from an interview with Mr Dailey (then Premier of New South Wales), and is astonished with the bitterness Australians are feeling because they may not fly the British flag without alteration or addition. The passage makes curious ’’reading to-day, writes a correspondent of the “Birmingham Post.” Of the two latest Dominions of His Majesty to achieve self-government one, without protest, domestic or Imperial, has made itself a. flag which bears no smallest evidence of any connection with Great Britain. In the other two great parties are fighting bitterly to decide whether the Dominion flag shall contain a contemptible or merely a very small representation of the Union Jack. Forty years ago Australia was fighting to secure the Union Jack, unaltered. And less than twenty years before that Canada was struggling to be allowed to place on the Red Ensign some mark of identification and distinction. So various have been Dominion views over Dominion flags. The political philosopher Iwould find it easy to draw a dozen morals. But morals apart, the story of the various Empire flags is of some interest. The standard pattern, so to speak, everybody knows. It is, for official and quasiofficial persons, the Union Flag or the Blue Ensign “defaced” usually in the “fly” with the arms of Dominion 1 or Colony. For private citizens the flag is the Red Ensign with the heraldic arms similarly placed on it. That standard pattern the Empire owes to Canada. It is quite true that, as far back as 1701, William 111. had directed that a white escutcheon should be placed in the centre of the Union in any flag hoisted by a Colonial vessel; and in IS6B it was laid down that Colonial Government ships should “use the Blue Ensign with a seal or badge of the colony in the fly thereof.” The general idea of “defacement,” then, was established.

CANADIAN WISHES. But what not established was the right of the private individual in a Dominion to fly any flag other than those flown by private individuals in Britain. For that right Canada now fought. Federation had come in 1867, and immediately Canadian shipowners commenced the practice of placing the heraldic arms of Canada on the' Red Ensign. For a time no objection was raised and in 1874 the Admiralty actually sanctioned the practice. But in 1875 there was a reversal of policy. “The only proper flag,” so it was announced, “is the Red Ensign without any badge.” Canada she was flying her flag now both ashore and afloat —disregarded the instruction. In 1889 a Statute was actually passed by the Imperial Parliament to enforce the Admiralty ruling. The only concession made was that Canadians could fly their own flag in addition to the British flag. Canadian opinion would not accept the compromise. The country was proud of its position —then unique in the Empire; proud, too, of federation. The Government applied in 1890 for permission to use the Canadian flag. The Governor-General (Lord Stanley), and the Admiral on the station both backed the application. Both said, in effect, that the flag would continue to be flown —permission or not. In 1892 the Admiralty gave way. The Red Ensign with Canada’s arms in the fly became the official flag of Canada on the sea. On land it had long been flown without protest. It, continued to be flown without specific authority. So it was established what we have called the standard pattern Dominion flag. Dominions and colonies alike have used the Ensign “defaced” with their arms. The essence and principle is that those arms, whether carried on an escutcheon or not, are a mere unobtrustive means of identification. There was one interesting exinteresting today. For the Transvaal Colony, in 1907, General Botha agreed on a flag, which was based on tthe old Transvaal “Vierkleur,” with the Union Flag in 'the corner. That flag recalled, to any historian, the flag Washington flew in the American Revolution. In 1776 the flag of the American colonies was a series of twelve stripes (red and white) to represent 12 colonies. It had the Union Flag in the corner. Not till after the Declaration of Independence was the Union Flag removed and replaced by the white stars on a blue ground. Does history repeat itself? Meanwhile, it is clear enough that the “standard pattern,” which has satisfied everybody for 25 years or more, is seriously challenged. On the one hand, Australia (though less “bitter” than when Froude met Dailey) is still not wholly content. At the other end of the scale we have Ireland and South Africa. Ireland, so soon as the Treaty of 1921 was signed, began to use forthwith the flag which had been that of the Republican Army—the tri-colour of green, white, and cerise —Sinn Fein colours. South Africa is still hesitating between two designs. The Smutts design is pretty clearly inspired by the Transvaal Colony flag. The Union Flag still occupies one —and the most important —corner. The Hertzog design gives the Union Flag rather less, than onesixtieth of the space. It has become a mere part of . an escutcheon on a new flag. But which evei’ design is adopted —or whatever compromise—it is quite certain the flag, at a little distance, will fail to be in the least reminiscent of any British or Dominion flag. We shall have, in fact, two Dominions with flags substantially different from those of all other Dominions. COMMON IMPERIAL FLAG. That is not, from any point of view, satisfactory; and it seems not unlikely that, as the Commonwealth of British Nations grows up, other Dominions —India, for example—may follow the example of Ireland and South Africa. Is there a remedy? If there is, it must be sought surely on the lines of giving to each. Dominion both its individual and distinctive flag, and also a common Imperial flag. There is a hint of that in some of the many South African proposals for compromise. But there are obvious difficulties. For one thing, there is no Imperial flag. The Union Flag has, in part, fulfilled the functions of such a flag. It was laid down in 1908 by the Imperial Government that any British subject anywhere might fly the Union Flag. But that flag has associations as humiliating to some folk as 'they are glorious to others. It enshrines equally the memories of English, Scottish, Irish. But it does not —as an Imperial flag should —recall also the

histories of the Dominions; Nor can one see how’ an Imperial flag. is to be designed that shall do full justice to all the component parts of the Empire. Such a flag, if indeed it could lie conceived, would be artistically and heraldically monstrous. It was easy to join the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew, not very hard to ■ graft on them the saltire of St. Patrick. It would pass human ingenuity to add symbols, equally conspicuous, of Canada and Australia and India and New Zealand and South Africa. The line of approach must be towards simplicity and not. towards complication. As far back as 1900 Mr Clowes suggested the Cross of St. George, as a possible Imperial flag. It is simple, it is beautiful, it is not in normal use. And though it has, for Englishmen, glorious traditions —since it was carried at Crecy and Poitiers and flown by the Elizabethan sailors —it has no untoward associations for any Dominions.

The suggestion has some attractions, if many difficulties. Would the Mother Country and air the Dominions be prepared to accept such an Imperial flag for general use—symbol of the Imperial Commonwealth? T Would they consent, to keep their national flags—including our own Union Flag—for local use? The point is’worth considering—and particularly to-day.