Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-05

perialistic to the end, the Briton Will prop
ably continue TO call It the empire. Doesn't
he still swear by Jove7 But the time has
passed when this tight little isle can hope
TO be actual mistress Of the vast dominions
in which she could be swallowed up a hun
dred times. The war has accelerated a move
ment which was slowly working through
the empire. In fact the war has rather
thrown out the most ambitious plan for the
commonwealth and substituted another. But
the change would have been long in coming
If the war hadn't shown the monstrous abb
surdity Of the present system.
Dominions Have No Voice
The citizens of the Five Nations realized
in 1914 that they were not on all fours in
relation TO the declaration of war II was
bad enough for England, according TO the
Union for Democratic Control, because the
voters had no direct say in the matter But
the New Zealander hadn't even an indirect
say. Here he was volunteering for a war
which his representatives had not even de-
Cared. Did Canada influence the policy Of
Sir Edward Grey? Was the Union Of South
Africa consulted in regard to the Bagdad
concessions? Here were the dominons and
the colonies and India and the protectorates
treasure for a war which was only. theirs
because the home they had never seen had
been attacked.
That is only one side Of It. Consider
the other side, which those who live out
of the United Kingdom do not often hear.
Get US leave Ireland out for the moment
to prevent quibbling) Here are some
50,000,000 of men, women and children. By
due process Of law they elect representa-
tives and these representatives vote i'm
mense sums of money TO preserve a fleet
and 70 build up and keep elastic an army
structure. Into this fleet and this army
go hundreds of thousands Of young men
from these islands. Not one cent OF the
cost of these weapons is paid by any out.
lying dependency. And yet Canada and
Australia and Bermuda are absolutely de-
pendent upon these weapons for their Sc
curity and their defense. A vast mistake.
It seems, on both sides. To understand
the absurdity to the full, please recollect
your feeling about some choice specimens
in our own Congress when the preparedness
agitation was on. Just as with u.s. the
members of the House Of Commons are
generally elected on questions of strictly
local importance. And just as with us
they are suddenly called TO decide ques.
tons of the gravest international impor-
tance and questions involving the whole life
of the empire
lIldl SlludllOH WOull nave CduSeu NWSlllS
rebellions long ago II it had not been for
a certain event in 1776-an event not with
out interest for us. England realizes to-
day that the only thing which made the
empire possible was that the American
colonies had taught the tyrants such a
lesson that they did not dare repeat an
experiment in unjust government The re-
suit has been that the dominions are in
dependent of the mother country in some
of the most vital matters. Britain does
not levy taxes on Canada Australia can.
If 1t wants to- build a tariff wall against
New Zealand or against Britain itself. The
empire has been a loose union for genera
tions. and that is why it is successful.
But 1t has been a real union, none the
less, as we have seen with astonshment.
The dominions which might have chosen the
outbreak of war as the proper moment for
separation or rebellion, or for declaring
only passive war against Germany, never
hesitated. They plunged And their re-
ward will be this: that after the war, in
some form or other, they will have a great
deal to do with future peace and war of
the empire,
A New Federation Proposed
There are two plans now before the en-
pire. The plan Of the Round Table, an ex-
ceedingly able and enthusiastic set of men
in England and In all the dominions, vir-
tualy calls for the establishment of a
parliament and Government Gin the Brit
ish sense of responsible cabineD for the
federation of States which it calls, prefer
ably, the Commonwealth of Nations That
is to say that, in addition to the existing
Parliament, elected on domestic issues
there must be a separate Federal Parlia.
ment elected by citizens of the five ma.
tions which compose the empire, and pro.
Vided with a cabinet responsible to 1t alone
| This new cabinet would deal with interna.
fiona1 mi al ha TOar
| lament. At the least, the cabinet would
have TO include a foreign secretary, a sec.
| retary for the navy and one for war and g
| minister Of finance IL would have to be
| given the power to tax Britain and thC
| domlnions alike for purposes of defense anC
| 1t would dictate the foreign policy of the
| whole Commonwealth. Meanwhile Britain
| would still have its domestic Parliament
| but II would no longer have control ovei
| peace and war. nor could It levy on Britain
| imperial, as opposed TO domestic taxation
| That Is one plan elaborated by the RounC
Table groups ut is of interest to note tha
| the brilliant editor of their organ. Mr.
| Philip H. Kerr, is one of Mr. Lloyd George
| secretaries) The other plan is embodied II
| a resolution passed by the Imperial Confer
ence concerning the "readjustment OF th'
| constitutional relations OF the componen
parts of the empire" This is far more mod
| crate advising only that the dominions an,
| India should be recognized as having al
| important voice in foreign policy, and pro
| viding for effective arrangements for con
| tinuous consultation in all important mat
| terB OF imperial concern. The machinery
set up would be purely consultative. and /
| would lack the essential powers to act ant
| to tax
II Is possible that neither of these tw,
| plans will be accepted and that a third viii
| be found desirable. But in whatever form
this may be taken for granted The British
| Fmpire as the pawn in the hands Of III
British voter is a thing Of the past Afte
this war we will see the citizens OF the en-
tire empire, nearly half billion souls
slowly taking their part In deciding thei
future The domihions will come first, the
possibly India OF the colonies Eventual,
democracy will sweep them all in
! have suggested that the United State
n Interested. For this reason; Eventual,
a population ive times as great as that o
the United States viii be working for q Ger
tain end II will be a good thing n thei
snd a TIE same - ours,