Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1926. A PERMANENT EMPIRE DELEGATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1926. A PERMANENT EMPIRE DELEGATION.

One of the problems connected with the future of the Empire is that associated with the interchange of views, where concerted action necessary in carrying- out British foreign policy. Canada has, of late months, shown a marked disposition to break away from the old idea that she must, as one of the self-governing- Dominions, fall into line with the Mother Country and the other Dominions when the necessity for united action makes itself felt. As we understand the position, Mr Mackenzie King has notified the British Government that, in future, the Dominion Parliament of Canada must be consulted before the Government will enter upon such united action. The idea, of course, is that the Canadian Government wishes to dissociate Canada from any future war into which Great Britain may be forced by the action of any rival Power, until the people of Canada have an opportunity of expressing their views upon the matter. The weakness of that position is that, so long as Canada remains a component part of the Empire, Britain’s enemies become her enemies in the event of war, and, in common with the sister Dominions, she would be as much liable to attack as Great Britain itself. She cannot say to an enemy advancing upon her shores, or territory, “I’m not interested in this war, nor am I taking any .part in it,” because (as in the case of German Samoa for instance), the mere fact of her connection with, and the allegiance she pays to the British Crown and Constitution, would lay her open to the retort that as acknowledged British territory her lands and her properties, etc., were open to capture, and if they did not choose to defend them, they could not complain if they were taken from them. That was the case in Samoa, the capture of which, by our New Zealand boys, was effected without fighting. It may be conceded that none of the British Dominions, nor even the Mother Country, desire to become again involved in war. Though we desire and work for peace, it would be folly to ignore the possibilities of the future, and even of the near future. There are signs that the war clouds are again gathering in the East and any day when it suits the Russian Soviet Government, the war dogs may be let loose. In that event it is almost inevitable that they will be loosed

upon Great Britain and the British Empijfe. Canada is more fortunately situated than ourselves. She lives, to a certain extent, under the protection of the Monroe doctrine, and it is more than probable that any attack made upon her territory would be deemed a breach of that doctrine by the United States Government, and that it would promptly comq, to the assistance of her neighbour. With the other Dominions —the Union of South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand—it is different. We have to depend upon the concerted action of each and all of these Dominions with the Mother Country for the protection of Empire interests. To bring- about the necessary cooperation between the respective Governments of these Dominions and the Mother Country it is necessary —essential even—that the British and Dominion Governments should keep constantly in touch with the main aspects of British policy, European and other. Mr Wickham Steed, discussing; tho subject in the Review of Reviews, points out that “the periodical Imperial Conferences do not, and cannot, suffice for this purpose, nor is it likely that any change in the standing of the Dominions’ High Commissioners in London could meet the need.” He advocates the establishment of a permanent British Empire delegation, with its headquarters in London, but visiting each Dominion frequently, and working as a corporate representative and exponent of Imperial policy. Such a permanent delegation, he says, would be a sort of council of the British League of Nations. He alludes, in support of the proposal, to the smooth working of the British Empire delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, and again at the Washington Conference for the limitation of naval armaments, and commends the idea “to Mr Amery and to any other of the responsible Ministers” either in Britain or the Dominions “who may be seekingmeans of co-ordinating Imperial policy without curtailing the independence of the Dominion Governments or that of India.”