THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1926. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19906, 28 September 1926, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1926. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

In some respects the Imperial Conference, which will be opened next month, will be one of the most interesting in history. The question of Dominion status, to which a somewhat undesirable prominence was given by the apparent recognition of the dominions as national entities on the occasion of the execution of the Treaty of Versailles, will be raised in various forms. Canada, South Africa, and the Irish Free State are all desirous of securing a definition of certain matters relative to their status. It will have been seen, in the cable messages which wo published yesterday, that Canada, fortunately to be represented by her Prime Minister, awaits a discussion on the subject at the Imperial Conference before definitely appointing her first Minister Plenipotentiary in the United States. The principle that such an appointment may be made has, however, already been conceded without, perhaps, a full recognition of all that it implies, ,for the Irish Free State has, for some time past, been rejoicing in the possession of the services of the Minister Plenipotentiary in Washington. The precise value of such an appointment, except in the sense that it expresses and emphasises a claim for political independence, may be somewhat doubtful. If, however, there are sound reasons why the dominions should be accorded the right of special representation in foreign countries, these may be urged with greater force in favour of the representation of Canada in the United States than in any other case. The question of the exercise by the Governor-General’s prerogative, which loomed very largely in the earliest stages of the general election campaign in Canada but was afterwards dwarfed by questions that were more largely of domestic interest, is one relating to constitutional practice rather than one afi'ectiug the status of the dominions. There are, however, certain matters concerning the position of the Governor-General that will be introduced at the conference by the Irish Free State. One of these has a clear bearing on the subject of Dominion status. The Irish Free State claims to have established the principle that the Governor-General must be a citizen of the dominion to which he is appointed. Upon that account, the Irish Minister of Finance says it would be bad economy to lower the prestige of the Governor-General’s office. Nevertheless, it is proposed by the Free State that the Governor-General should cease to be, as he is now, the channel of communication between his Government and the British Government. The practice under which the GovernoiGeneral signs all the despatches from his Government, even although his right to alter as much as one word or one comma in them may be stoutly rejected, is somehow regarded as derogatory to the status of the dominion. A few weeks ago we were told on the authority of a Nationalist paper in South Africa that Canada, the Irish Free State, and South Africa would stand shoulder to shoulder at the conference for the practical application of dominion status. What that exactly means has not been explicitly stated. The Minister of External Affairs in the Irish Free State has, however, put forward the claim that “the nations, known as dominions, were full sovereign States exercising the full rights of sovereign States in the world.” That is a claim to which South Africa may, under the present regime, be expected to subscribe fully. But it seems hardly likely that Canada will go so far. Mr Mackenzie King, during the recent election contest, strongly protested his loyalty to the Crown and the Constitution. “The British flag means a great deal to the people of the Old Land, as does the British Consti tution,” he said, “but it means more to us, yes, a great deal more, as it re presents centuries of struggle against oppression in order that we may enjoy the liberties our forbears fought for.” The political independence that is enjoyed by the dominions is as complete as can well be desired by them. It is difficult to see what advantages, greater than they now possess, would accrue to them if they received recognition as sovereign States. Their existence as sovereign States would, in fact, be inconsistent with their status as members of the British Empire. And, if they were not members of the British Empire, their position as sovereign States would expose them to dangers from which they are now free. That is a severely practical view of the matter.