June 12, With the passing of Sir Robert Borden, former Prime Minister of Canada, the British Empire loses another of those outstanding figures for which her recent history has been remarkable, and draws atten tion to those colonials who have passed from taking an interest in domestic Dominion or colonial afflats, to playing a large part in the business of the Empire as a whole. It is one of those fortunate occur tences that, at a time when the most important changes were taking place within the Empire, changes which brought about considerable modification of the relations between the Dominions and the Mother Country, that so many men of high calibre were found amongst the leaders outside the British Isles able and ready to accept the huge responsibilities which were to devolve upon them. Sir Robert Borden was one of those men who occupied such a position with regard to Canada, and over half of his years were spent in high-souled ovation to Canada and the Empire at large, doing work which was to; Prove of inestimable worth and Jaying the British people under obligation which they are proud fo acknowledge. Perhaps the most striking example of his Adelity to British tradition was given when he led the fight against Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who as Premier, sought to enter into a trade reciprocity agreement with the United States, Sir Robert's imperial views were opposed to the strengthening of bonds with the United States in any manner likely to loosen the tics with the Home Country, and his policy was supported to such an extent that Sir Wilfred was defeat 1911, and Sir Robert succeeded him as Prime Minister. The fight which he had put up was of greater importance than, perhaps, even he then realized, for had such a trade agreement been reached with the United States, it is doubt ful whether imperial preference as it is now known would ever have become possible. A commitment such as he opposed might have prevented the conclusion even of the Ottawa Agreoments and might have brought about a degree of disunity within the Empire by a diversion of Canadian trade me The peace time contribution to the solidarity: of the Empire, outshone by the work he did during the Great War. When that broke out he had already been Prime Minister for about three years, and from that time onwards his activi-fies were so extensive that he was obliged to form a Government uniting the Liberal and Conservative parties for the more effective government of the country, In this government which was returned to power at the election of December, 1917, he became Prime Minister and Secretary for External Affairs and it was in that latter office that he did Such great service to the Allies by bringing about for them the proper utilization of the resources of the British Empire, such as lumber, minerals and food, It was in 1918 on his return from England, from one of those many trips which this particular aspect of work necessitated, that he found much opposition in Canada to conscription, and it was his en-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.