New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-24
A New Era in the English-Speak'
ing World

The presence or a bIINs"
the United States has more than mere
passinc meaning: it is one more step IN "
nrocess which has been one Of the great
est consequences, perhaps the greatest oil
the world war. For nothing Is more
certain than that when this war Is over
the relations between the Enghsh-Speak-
ing countries and colonies about the Seven
Seas will be far different from that which
existed before the German attack
Nowhere has this fact been more clear
" seen than in England. The entrance
of Great Britain into the war was fol-
lowed by one Of the most striking evil
derces Of the solidarity Of the various com
nonwealths Of the empire that could be
imagined. The Germans, with their odd
distorted and warped standards, had cal
cplated that the war would destroy the
solidarity of the fragments Of the British
Empire. They believed that the Canadian
the Australian and the South African
colonies would seize upon the opportunity
70 free themselves, because they could not
themselves conceive that colonies could
be loyal or empires bound together by
ANYTHING but force.
Instead, Canada, Australia, South Africa
responded TO a call that was in British
hearts rather than on their lips; what
the British hoped would happen did hap
nen in a measure that completely sur
prised them. At Ypres, on the Gallipoli
Peninsula, yesterday on the Vimy Ridge,
a wear ago in German West Africa, the
men of Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa and Canada gave their lives freely
IN defence of the institutions which were
English and the civilization which they
held to and believed in. Nowhere more
clearly than in remote Australia was
the fact recognized that the German attack
was an attack upon civilization, upon all
that democracy and English democracy
meant in the world.
But with this generous response OF the
overseas dominions there went something
else. 1t was in the minds and in the
hearts Of the men who marched from re-
mote British colonies that when the war
was finished the British Empire should
become something quite different from
. what it had been; there was a determine
~ ton that the blood Of the colonials sheC
4 for the common cause and the common
empire should be, in a sense, the guarantee
of something far greater and far better
in the later years-an Imperial Confedera
ton, an Imperial Parliament: the formula
were and are still vague, but the fact wa
clear.
And nothing is more certain than tina
this will come. Even at the present momen
conference of representatives, Prim,
Ministers Of the self-governing British do
minions, is going forward and will havt
results that cannot be exaggerated tn,
British Empire is TO have new con
sttution, in fact. The colonies, which
have in the past been little represented
and less concerned with the foreign policy
Of the empire, Will henceforth be heard
represented, consulted, before the decisions
are made out Of which grow wars, just
wars like the present included.
With this revolution in the political sys.
tenn of the British Empire the United
States is not concerned directly. What.
ever the new system, we shall remain out
side Of it. Yet it is Of permanent value that
at the moment when the British Empire
is to be remodelled, and millions Of Eng.
disappearing people all over the world arc
drawing together, that we, also Of the same
speech, should be united with them in q
common struggle against German barba
rism, against German raid upon all tha
is a part Of the tradition Of those who hav,
the English tongue.
Had we stayed outside Of the war there
would have been gulf between us anC
Canada, between us and Australia, be
tween us and Great Britain that would
perhaps, have been impossible. Had We
declined, in the end, 10 stand with The