Dec. 22.
In is unfortunate that many names, which formerly had 4 really good significance, now have acquired somewhat sinister meaning. One of these is the word 'Empire.' The fact that Germany was termed an Empire and was ruled over by an Emperor has caused a good many people to look askance at the name British Empire. They would like to tone it down and call those countries that recognize King George V as their sovereign '"The British Commonwealth of Nations,'' or The League of British Nations.''
Now, after all, these two latter terms are very wish-washy, they lack solidity and appeal. Because one_so-called_Empire made a fool of itself, it is nonsense to wish to take away that name from another built up on an altogether different foundation. Some people regard the word Empire as savouring of Jingoism, although og a matter fact Jingoism has played no part worth mention in the British Empire's growth. That is due to the heroic, sacrifices of hardy pioneers, of men and women who were not concerned about a forty-eight-hour week or a minimum wage and' to whom ''down tools'' would have meant death in the wilderness. The foundations of- the British Empire were laid by those who regarded themselves as just ordinary people, and -whoxse names do not appear in historical records; but these people had a stern sense. of duty, they desired to serve their day and generation. Moreover, who.can say that they were not persons with a vision? Can we doubt that, even in the midst of their hard labours, under the most distressing circumstances, they did at times see.-beyond: their present discomforts and. dangers something of the splendid edifice they were helping to build and from which their posterity would reap countless benefits? These were the.real Empire-builders and we who are citizens of that Empire need not be ashamed to call ittby itg old name. The men who attempt to mix their patriotism with ' profiteering could never have done the work they did, neither could the sentimental jellyfishes, who prate of Internationalism and pretend to love every country but their own.
Even yet we who are privileged to be subjects of this Empire hardly realize the magnitude of our heritage, the members of which are not knit together by such materialistic ideas as tariffs and preferences, but by the deeper and more enduring ties of kinship, and common ideals. We need 10 cultivate a true pride in and love for our precious possession, in order to combat the insidious efforts of those who would: apparently rejoice to see the breakup of one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and peace. To do so implies no boastful ov aggressive spirit. But it does imply some effort to rouse imagitation and to enlarge our vision beyond the every-day rut in which we move. To which end the word Empire is of far greater force than Commonwealth can ever be. Empire 'x word which denotes loyalty to a Sovereign and to an idea; it implies something in' which we all share alike; it i is rich and glowing and calls to what is best in us to prove - ourselves worthy of it. Can anybody imagine himself celebrating' a Commonwealth Day" with the same' enthusiasm as he keeps Empire. Day?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.