Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-29

| ~ liloI 10 tHe russian revolution
MS views could not have been ex-
pressed in public, and. If they had
peen they would not have attracted
any attention.
The feeling that n monarchy is in
these times an anachronism and that
II makes Great Britain appear back
ward in the eyes Of other countries in
| spite OF the free institutions which
England was the first to give 10 the
world, is probably behind most Of the
current talk. But even those who urge
thls view admit that for urgent rea-
sons II would he unthinkable TO try
70 change the form of government in
this crowned republic.
There are four main reasons why
Great Britain is likely to remain un-
DER the present system Of constitu-
uonal monarchy as representative
fngllshmen have explained the sltua-
tion TO me.
Paying for the POmp.
The first is the traditional loyalty
for the throne felt by the mass of the
people, more strongly in the country
districts than in the great cities
among the industrial classes. The
English attachment to an ancient ira
dition is not weakened, as IT was in
France and Russia, by intolerable
abuses sheltered by the sovereign.
worst anyone can say against the
British monarchy is that il is expen-
sive.
The second is that the machinery
does not exist to set up n republic
after the American model. and II Is
generally admitted that the present
cabinet system is superior to that in
france, where in peace time constant
political turmoil prevails. Under a
KING who accepts the position OF po-
litical fgurehead assigned him by
the British constitution, Englishmen
consider that they enjoy a form Of
government inferior to none in the
world.
The third reason is that n British
republic would not contain an office
like that of the kingship, capable Of
binding together the widely scattered
daughter nations of the empire in an
institution which symbolizes their
unity. The president Of Great Britain
could not mean to Canada and Aus
tralia what the king of Great Britain
and Ireland and of the dominions be-
yond the seas means to colonials
even If he were called president of
the dominions beyond the seas. It
is conceivable that at some future
time an imperial senate or council
might be formed for the whole en-
pire, and that this objection would
disappear.
But the problem OF Iidia would
remain, and this fourth reason why
republican discussion in England
must be purely academic remains the
most important OF all. The British
raj CNn1 hn1iZnc for h,,n1ral.
lions of ignorant Indians the only
kind of power they understand, and
liberal Englishmen who hope some
day that It will be possible to intro
duce elf-government into India are
confident that the announcement now
that the British raj had disappeared
would cause widespread revolt and
anarchy in the east.
India Has Objections.
The maharajah of Bikanir the only
ruling Indian prince now in England,
has lost no time in expressing his hor-
ror at the very suggestion of repub-
licanism in the empire. Referring TO
the proposal of Wells for the forma-
tion of republican societies, the maha.
ra1ah said, Can we look with any
thing but serious alarm upon any sug-
gestion for weakening the very foun-
welded closer together in ever in
creasing strength the various nations
of the empire in sunshine and in
storm? Never! As one coming from
n country where our sacred teaching,
our sentiments and our traditions in
spire us with veneration, affection
and devotion for the sovereign, |
should like to take this, the first op-
portunity OF publicly declaring, in the
most unhesitating terms. that the
views and suggestions of the writer
will he repudiated with scorn and
looked upon with extreme repugnancc
thruout the empire. In saying this
speak not only for my brother princes
and myself, but for the masses Of In
dia and for the Indian army"
1t should he said finally that what
ever republican enthusiasts may say,
there is no word OF criticism for
King George, whose unobtrusivenes
and devotion to tiresome duties dur
ing the present war have increased
his popularity. The alien character
of the Hanoverian dynasty and the
fact that royalty thruout Europe
wears German tinge at present. is
commented upon; but 1t is certain
that there will be no more mixture
OF German blood with that of the
British royal family