New-York tribune., 1919-01-15
British Empire
A Miniature
W orld League
French Imagination Kindled
as Dominions' Delegates
Enter Peace Conference
Previous Ideas Wrons
Experts OH Various Sub
jects Will Rotate as En-
voys at the Sessions
NcaV Yorit Trib bu,lc
EufOpenu Bureau

Ncav Yorh Tribune
European Bureau
Copyright. 1919. New York Tribune Inc.)
PARIS, Jan. j 14.-Nothing connecte d
with the peace congress has struck the
French imagination more than the
manner in which the British Empire
entered into the great council of the
world. Not only is Britain represented
by four directly appointed delegates
but each of her daughter states~-Can
ada, Newfoundland. Australia, Now
Zealand, South Africa and Jndia-is
also present in the person Of directly
appointed commissioner or spokesman.
For the first time the British En-
pre stands revealed as veritablc
league of nations in itself. Just as
that glttering assembly Of the leaders
of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors in
Versailles in 1870 marked the climax
of victory for the Prussians and the
welding together of all their vassal
! states into one living menace to the
peace of the world, so as the average
Frenchman secs it, this congress Of
! Paris has already recorded the first
definite and visible steps Of the British
Empire toward a real federation of its
far-flung units, that, with the cooper
alton of America and of France, snail
largely assure the peace of the world.
Britain Mystery to French
w, hot bo
pire means has always been a mys-
terry to most Frenchmen. | have met
many educated men here during the
last few years who were fully con-
vinced that Canada, Australia and In
ala, for instance, were compelled to
pay heavy annual tribute to England,
and refused to believe that the fact
was quite otherwise
They preferred to predict that be-
fore many years Canada and Australia
both would declare their independence
and shake off the British yoke" The
presence here of virtually separate and
independent delegations from India,
Australia, Canada and other "colonies."
each daughter in her mothers
house, but mistress in her own" dis
PEELED many French illusions and has
thrown suggestive light upon the
way in which the British translate the
word democracy.
Historically speaking, this is the first
time India and the British overseas
dominions have been officially repre-
sented by their own delegates at a
meeting in foreign capital.
One Of the first duties of the peace
conference will be to decide the extent
of the representation each nation shall
have in the deliberations. | am be-
traylng no secret in stating, on the
best of authority, it is the view of the
British government that the represen-
tatives of the great self-governing de-
pendencies shall be admitted as full
members Of the conference to voice
through their own spokesmen, the opin-
ions of the peoples they represent.
Australia's Interests Vital
Thus Australia is directly and vitallv
interested in insurng that New Guin-
! ca, Samoa and other South Pacific
islands shall under no circumstances
be returned to Germany for use as
coa)lng stations or bases for subma-
rlnes to threaten the commonwealth.
Similarly South Africa is entitled to
preponderating voice regarding The
disposition of what formerly was
known as German West Africa. while
India has strong claims to participate
in al! decisions affecting Persia, Meso-
potamia and other regions whence her
safety may be threatened.
AS general principle the predomi-
mating voices IN the peace conference
will be those Of the five great powers
America, France, Great Britain. ItaIv
and Japan--who will each have five
delegates.
Curiously enough, the names of the
five British delegates have not vet been
announced officially. 1t is very prob
able, however. although the actual
number OF voting delegates present at
any one session of the congress will
always be the same, that the team will
not always be composed of the same
men. 1t is probable, for instance, when
a purely commercial question arises
fer settlement that the delegates who
are specialists, say, in chronological or
international and legal questions, will
retire to give room for others who
have made a study Of trade que stions.
Question OF Rank in Doubt
Just what representation will be
given to the British daughter states
has not yet been settled, but it is be-
lieved that they will rank much the
same as Belgium. French public opin-
ion generally indorses fully the action
taken by Great Britain in this regard.
1t is realized shat the action of the
overseas dominions in coming to the
aid of civilization in the great war
was inspired by the highest and most
ldealistic motives, and no action the
British have taken could have given
the French more pleasure than that
which provided representation for
these dominions.
The appointment of Sir p Sinha, the
first native Indian to hold a post in
the British Cabinet, as Under Secre-
tary for India, with a seat in that
most sacred of racial strongholds. the
House of Lords, is regarded here as
one of the most revolutionary things
tho Rritiah rulare have dana for ,,oon,,