AN EMPIRE CABINET?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 6

AN EMPIRE CABINET?

Since the development of war with Japan a good deal of support has been given to the suggestion that an Empire War Cabinet should be formed, which would afford the dominions a direct and constant voice in the counsels of Downing street. The British Government has not opposed the adoption of such a plan, and Mr Eden, in a recent statement, indicated that the real obstacle was a difference of opinion among the dominion Governments as to the desirability of it. It is, indeed, difficult to visualise the effectiveness of War Cabinet deliberations in which the several dominion Ministers would be compelled either to hold up proceedings constantly in order to consult with their Governments, or else would exercise the right of making decisions on the spot which subsequently might not be approved by their Parliaments, to which they are, in the last resort, responsible. In a reference to this question some months ago, Mr Fraser, our Prime Minister, stressed the willingness of his Government to co-operate in any suitable plan for dominion representation in the Empire’s war councils. He observed, however, that the place of the Prime Minister

was in his own country. This is an opinion which the New Zealand people are likely to endorse, and, as may be recalled, it is an opinion that was recently expressed by responsible people in Australia. The corollary is that, if the dominions are to be directly represented in the War Cabinet, special Ministers must be appointed. It is a question, first, for how long a Minister so appointed would hold the confidence of the Dominion public, with which he would be likely to grow more or less out of touch; and secondly, whether a body of dominion Ministers of sufficient calibre, though lacking the conferred authority of the premiership, could be found to carry the responsibilities involved. An exceptional man. with the habiliments of leadership, could satisfactorily undertake the duty, but there are few enough of Ministers with the requisite qualifications to be found in any number of governments at a given time. The proposals issued during the week by the Australian special envoy in London, Sir Earle Page, deserve careful consideration for the reason that they formulate a compromise scheme. The need for the fullest consultation between the Imperial and the dominion Governments has long been recognised, and events recently have suggested that there has been less than a complete common understanding among them of matters in which all are vitally interested. The question whether the inadequacy of the defence organisation in the Western Pacific is a joint responsibility of the Empire nations concerned has yet to be answered, but while considerations of war strategy devolve upon a Cabinet without dominion representatives in regular attendance, the liability, possibly unfairly, rests upon the British Government. It would be difficult to argue against Sir Earle Page’s contention that under the present system the British Government’s attitude may .be defined and unalterable by the time dominion Governments are advised, and if that is the fact, tensions must be created within the Commonwealth framework. His remedy, a more active and thorough system of liaison, covering not only foreign policy but the fighting services, supplies, and economic relations, is one which it may be easier to suggest than to apply. Yet it is probably on such lines that a trial should be made, in view of the very doubtful practicability of the alternative of a permanent Empire Cabinet.