The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1924. SYMPTOMS OF DISRUPTION.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 1600, 31 May 1924, Page 6

The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1924. SYMPTOMS OF DISRUPTION.

The information that Canada has refused to confirm the Lausanne treaty with Turkey is one more symptom of the loosening of Impcrjal ties. In Die past the Dominions have been content to let Britain conduct the foreign policy of the Empire. During the war the Dominions claimed a more active part in the conduct of affairs and were invited by Britain to form a closer union. This, however, was refused in 1917, but at the same time the Dominions stated that they were entitled to a voice in the decisions to be taken on Imperial questions. This is, of course, entirely reasonable and was - recognised to be such, but the Dominions failed to establish any method by which their opinions could be discussed, and the only way in which consultation could be held in the interval between conferences was by cable. The Prime Ministers of the Dominions were unanimously of opinion that nobody in their respective countries was competent to express the opinion held by their constituents. In pursuance of the arrangement that the Dominions were to have a voice in Imperial questions the Canadian Government were invited to be present at Lausanne, and to confirm the treaty which was made there. They did not consider that they were interested in the matter and; therefore, took no steps to be represented, and now refuse to recommend the acceptance of the treaty to Parliament.

It has been a favourite contention of those who wrote and spoke on this question of Imperial federation that it was impossible to hasten the matter and that any attempt to do so would be mischievous. Accordingly everyone concerned has marked time, and in the natural course of events the Dominions and tiie Old Country are finding that their interests in various' questions differ. It is not so much that they are opposed to each other, as that certain questions intimately oonoern some Dominions while they are of secondary interest to others. The Lausanne Treaty is a case in point, for while our relations with Turkey may prove to be of importance to Australia and New Zealand, they only concern Canada or the Cape to a very slight extent. Canada bases her refusal to consider the treaty on this point, but the fact that part of the Empire adheres' to the treaty while another part does not do so introduces an clement of disruption. It is possible that a Canadian may have business in Turkey, and if so his position would be peculiar. As a member of the Empire he is entitled to the rights of a British subject; as a Canadian he is still at war with Turkey, and a very unpleasant position might thus arise. Hitherto the Dominions have ignored every aspect of the question except that of trade preference, which is but one of several points involved. Nobody approves of the Lausanne Treaty on its merits, but there was nothing else to be done unless we were prepared to go to war with Turkey. Nobody would consider that, and therefore the oiher alternative had to be accepted. Canada may think that she avoids the discredit of accepting an unsatisfactory trealy, but she lias only done so by putting her people in a position which may lead to unpleasantness and loss. Those who argue for drift in Imperial questions' should take a note of this, which we may be sure will not be the last instance of anti-Imperial action. Unless some closer bond of union is established we shall have each Dominion acting in such questions as it considers important to itself, and ignoring the questions that concern others. British subjects of different parts of the Em-

have different rights and different legal status, and much confusion will arise. If the Empire is to remain united some body must be set up to deal with such questions, and it is a serious indictment of Dominion Prime Ministers that they have failed to deal with this aspect of the matter. They have been ready to claim rights, but have not been ready to exercise them.

This action on the part of Canada is not the only symptom of disruption. The Irish Free Slate are claiming the right to appoint their own representative at Washington. The same claim ■ was made by Canada some time ago, and was unwillingly allowed in pursuance of the general principle of granting to the Dominions anything they may ask. Although, however, Canada's request was granted, it has never been acted on. The intention on the part of the Irish Free State is a much more s;erious matter. The Irish population of the United States is very considerable. In the census of 1920 there were over a million who were born in Ireland, and those who were born of Irish parentage in the United States is a much greater number. Moreover, a great many of them are far from friendly to Britain, and if the Irish have a separate representative at Washington it is extremely likely that he will take a line opposed to that of the British representative. It will be difficult to refuse the Irish request, for their status has been defined to be the same as that of Canada, which probably when it put forward the 'Claim in the first instance did not see what it would lead to. Difficulties of this kind will constantly be occurring so long as we neglect or refuse to define the position. The Conservatives of Britain arc genuinely anxious to cultivate the goodwill of the Dominions, yet they omitted io deal with this situation, and it was never so much as mentioned at the last Imperial Conference. In this country we believe that all those whose opinions would carry weight would be pleased to see closer union established. This is partly a question of loyalty and partly a recognition of the pressing interest which the Dominion has in establishing a closer tie. Politicians are loth to move, or to consider any questions except local ones', and we have yet .to wait for a leader with some measure of prophetic vision.