Dec. 22, A generation ago the Govei m ment of the British Empire was comparatively simple matter. While the self-governing Dominions managed their 01 wu affairs with more or less success they did so under the watchful eye of the Mother Country who tendered advice when requested, and even at times when her counsel was not solicited.
The foreign affairs of the Empire whole were left in the hands of the British Parliament, and Jthe decisions of that body wer as a rule accepted without qu es tion or demur by the Colonies, To-day the situation has undergone a marked change. The Dominions have arrived at maturity und are no longer willing to at mit to the rulings of Westminster! and throughout|pire's foreign policy is one of the} most important, if not the mos: important, of the problems that] confront the British race, and is receiving: considerable attention at the hands of the Dominions' press. Even those newspapers which are the most Imperial in their outlook and Policy, and whose wish is oily to strengthen the ties of kinship) between their lands and the Mother Country, declare that unless this question is settled soon and satisfactorily, there is danger of the Empire dissolving. In a recent number of the "Nineteenth Century" the Hon. A. 8.
a member of the Council of New Zealand, makes some very pertinent remarks on the present relations of the various parts of the Empire. He maintains that the weakness in the organization of the Empire is that, in the true sense of the word, there is no Imperial Government. Indeed, strictly speaking there is no Em: pire. No person or body exists that can speak or act for the Empire as a whole. Even the King has no executive powers cither in himself or through his Ministers. As a matter of fact the Empire has no government.
just "rubs along somehow Lut in the end an Empire without a government must disinter Mr. Malcolm insists that empire needs a single and representative executive, in other words Imperial Federation. We have already Federation in South Africa, Australia and Cana why not extend the idea to include the whole Empire?
This is by no means a new plan. In fact it has come to be looked upon as one of those apparently delightful solutions that have been examined, found unworkable, and are now dead. But is there any reason why it should not be resurrected in its original or in some modified form? The progress of aviation will soon make it even easier for n Empire Parliament to meet together than it was for members of the British Parliament, to get to London in the old coaching days. An Imperial House of Representatives, if it were elected under some wisely regulated system would be a tremendous asset to our Imperial nit Its pronouncements would carry practically irresistible weight. No nation would dare to regard them with other than respect, for they] would have behind them the support of the greatest, most popul-fous and wealthiest common-Ith of nations the world has over seen.
But there is one factor which the Dominions ignore. Foreign policy rests in the last resort upon the number of guns available to enforce it. If the Mother Country has hitherto taken the ead in the foreign affairs of the Empire, it is because she pays practically the whole expense of defending it. It is useless for the Dominions to send representatives to sit in an Imperial Government in London unless, tines have full powers to commit their constituents to a fair share in the expense of the imperial army and navy: Alterna! any Dominion is free to dec itself an independent nation: it would do well first Jo calculate the cost in dockyards and men-of-war which Britain now mostly pays-for it,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.