Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-18
WORK OF PREM|ERS
Practical Results Of the Recent
Conference. .
ENGLAND URGED TO WAKE UP
German and Canadian Trade Move
'ment Now On.
GoLD-sT1CK-IN-wAIT1NG OFFICE
Death Of Lord de Ros-Decorative Art
In Doors - Sale Of Art
Works Encouraged
MISUNDERSTANDING OFFICE
pecial Correspondence of The Star.

WorKS encouraged.
Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, May II, 1907.
The colonial, or, as it Is now called. FIN
perial," conference has, as the French say,
given the people here ito think" and In
thinking the worm has turned" For years
England has become used to being thought
slow by her colonies> She has been told to
wake up" throw overheard hoary tradi-
lions and generally get a move on" in
order to catch UP with her more lively
daughters, who stood ready to give the old
mother special trade terms when she asked
nicely for them. The colonial premiers
have courteously but firmly rubbed the idea
in during their stay, and the Australian
delegation in particular has been little
louder than the others in criticising and de-
ploring the attitude of the British govern
ment toward the question Affecting the wei
fare of the empire at large.
The business, however. has been overdone.
and Britishers who have tamely submitted
to being called slow and have taken no no.
tice of it because they do not care the least
little what others think Of them and their
tight little isle,'' now that the prenniers
are within kicking distance, have at last
begun to kick at what they call colonial
chiefly taken to Australian Independence
and superiority. Numerous articles and let
tiers, signed and unsigned are appearing in
the newspapers on the subject.
One writer declares that colonial setf-aS-
sertion and spread-eagleism are due to the
fact that the colonists are very largely de-
scendants of energetic members OF the lower
middle class.
influence by their industry and enterprise
but failed to set up in the society of which
they were the ornaments a very high stand
ard of courtesy and consideration for others
Together with an omission of this sort there
invariably gees an exaggerated self-con-
sciousness-an apprehension lest the better
bred person may be picking holes in your
garment Of self-esteem.
1.-The children of such forbears are often
oppressively intellectual, very anxious to
prove to the men of the mother land that
they are as well informed as they are, only
rather more SO. Just as it was an awesome
pleasure Of the American fifty years ago to
give twist to the tail of the British lion,
so 1t is limited pretty plainly that Australia
can look after herself without the assist
ance of that renowned animal who occupies
as his very own such small portion of the
map, and that Canada does not even con-
descend to desire his naval assistance at
all,.'
The Colonial Tone.
There is certain excuse to be made for
the colonial tone. Though this aggresslvely
expressed sense of their own vast impor-
lance may have insufficient Justification, yet
they have been unquestionably irritated
from time to time by the want of tact
shown to them as affiuent and powerful
self governing communities by prominent
officials of the colonial Office. That the af-
fuence and power are OF comparatively re-
cent date does not diminich the sensitive.
ness nor dull the keenness of the suscepti-
bilities.
Iii. -,
prominent Australian told me that the
evaporation aroused might prove a factor
in the future dismemberment of the en-
pire. Therefore some of the crudely or un-
doubtless due to a conviction that it Is i'm
perative to cry check to the overwhelming
pride of the mother land, and advertise in
lamboyant colors the geographical expanse
of Australia and the extent of its -gricul-
tural and mineral wealth and Its growing
significance among the states of the world.
At present, however, its population Is
rather less than that of Greater London,
and its trade with Great Britain is not
more than a more or less respectable frac-
ton of the United Kingdoms total trade
If 1t sends many products wanted here It
would not be able to do what 1t does but for
money borrowed from England and British
markets are as necessary to it as its agri-
cultural products are to this country.
AS matter of fact, Britain is much more
dependent on the farmers Of northern Eu-
VI ID. ",
the poultry yard, the market garden Of
England stretches beyond the channel from
Brittany to the Cattegat. 1t would be
more serious matter II that failed than IL
German goods. For a community Of five
million souls to attempt to advise, much
less to dictate to, community Of forty
four millions on a matter of such enormous
import to the latter Is regarded here more
audacfous than becoming.
AS to the suggestion that there is some
thing magnanimous in the present willing
ness of Australia to remain part and par
eel OF the British empire, Britishers ask
what would become Of Australia If it set
up on Its own account2 After ALL only
those states posses an Independent exist
ence which have the power to keep what
they have. A little state of 100000 in
habitants, with no standing army and no
navy. overlooking with wealth, might not
enjoy long shift.
The consideration among mankind which
the Australian, like the rest Of the British
colonies, enjoys, he enjoys as part and
parcel of the British empire Unless he put
himself under the protection of America
his possession of the island continent
would be on the sufferance of either Ger
many or Japan. There IL all the difference
in the world in belonging to the great
feared and respected British empire and
in belonging to a state with the popula-
ton and less than the defensive power of
Holland.
similar in laws, customs, religion, habits
of life and civilization generally, who owe
allegiance to the British crown. That
civilization is different in degree. at any
rate from that of other occidental coun-
tries, and Is the possession which all
Britons want to retain, because they have
grown up with 1t, and 1t Is part Of their
life. That is true, more or less, Of all
the self-governfng communities. It is much
their concern as Englanders to preserve
their common way of living.
And that. say the English in the mother
land, can only be done by each doing his
best to maintain the defensive services of
the empire in a high state of efficiency.
They are as much and as intimately con-
cerned as England. II Australia came to
grief. the United Kingdom would go on as
before. But II the nag Of Britain went
down in blood-red ruin.- only the merciful
consideration of the japanese would pre-
vent Australia becoming subject to the
mikado, or, 1t may be. the close of the
twentieth century would see the eagle of
Germany futtering over Melbourne. and
Sydney In the same way Canada would
become American.
Canada,s Trade with Germany