Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-07-16
l PAPER FOLLOW YOU
A WAY OUT

The most important development of the Brit ish Imperial Press conference was, undoubted- ly, that put forward by Lord Charles Beresford designed to find way out from under the ter rife strain tha the people of Great Britain are under in maintaining under annually increasing difficulties, the two-power standard for the navy. He, in common with most English states men, recognizes that the maintenance of the two-power standard is essential to British com mercial life and he is brave enough to look the facts squarely in the face and declare that it is becoming impossible for the United Kingdom alone to stand the strain.
 But while the burden is becoming too great for the United Kingdom, he points out that it should not be for the United British empire, and his proposition is that in this one matter at least, the empire as a whole should do its share. Lord Beresford thinks it right that the United Kingdom should, as heretofore, bear the biggest share of the naval burden, but that the Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Al rca, and perhaps even India, must be asked to provide proporhonate part.
 The importance of this idea of Lord Charles Beresford comes from the fact that it was hear tily endorsed by the distinguished members of the colonial press who made up the conference This indorsement means, in all probability, that throughout the length and breadth of the Brit ish empire the plan will be pushed in the press and its importance and fairness urged upon the colonial peoples. And of the fairness and eq- uity of the plan there can be little question. It is toGreat Britain that Canada looks for protec- tion on the seas and the safeguarding of her coasts She has foreign commerce of $6J0,- 000,O00 year; merchant shipping of 100000 tons, and 1t is the British navy that nsures this. She has treasury revenue of $80,00O,0O0 year, and yet she contributes practically noth- ing to the support of the navy of her mother country. The same IS true of Australia in a modified degree, for that commonwealth, with a population of 4,2500O0 shipping of 100000 tons and commerce of $375, 5000 900, does main tain naval militia, which uses ships furnished and equipped by the United Kingdom. New Zealand has shipping of 5000 tons, commerce amounting to $200,000,000, and population of about 100000 and contributes nothing to the naval protection or naval strength of England. The same thing is true of the South African union, with its population of 6,250,O00 and its commerce valued at $715,000,000 year.
 If these linen of the scattered nations' should adopt, in true patriotic spirit, the sue- gestion of Lord Beresford, the question of the maintenance of Great Britain's superiority at sea would be forever settled. It would be hope less for any other single nation to compete. If Canada New Zealand, Australia and South. Af- rica should contribute, in something of the same proportion as Great Britain does, all would-be rivaries with Great Britain must cease.
 Nor would the benefits from such compan- ionship of the different parts of the British em- pire stop at checking of the mad waste of money for warships We can imagine few things that would do more to solidify the en- pire bring its interests closer together and re- establish pride in the nation unity. The lee,s of the empire, ill time of need combined under single authority from the mother country, would be a rallying point for the enthusiasm eff