New-York tribune., 1919-07-15
Britons Plan
Parliament
of the Empire
Scheme for Commonwealth
Aims to Unite Colonies
Closer for Prosecution
of Big Commercial War
Netc York Tribune
European Bureau

IuTOpeQn bureau
fCopyrtght 1919 New York Tribune ruc)
LoNDON, July lathe Lloyd George
government has in preparation a plan
Tor the reorganization of the British
Empire, designed to convert its sixty
component countries into one giant ma
ton, covering one-thjrd of the globe.
! ITS object is to supplant the present
loose coalition with closely knit fed
eral government
he war proved that the British En-
pre- was more powerful in name than
IN fact, the weakness of the structure
having made itself apparent several
times since 1914. Realizing the need
of 2 closer alliance for military req
sons and IN order to meet trade com
petition more successfully in the com
ing international commercial war, the
government, it is now understood, will
introduce It's bill in Parliament in Sen
tember. coincident with the announce
ment Of the future national trade mol
icy, to bring about the organized union
OF the empire.
Political Battle Certain
The plan for the British Common
wealth, whose supporters include some
of the most influential men in the conn
Try, is certain to start great political
battle, and might easily result in the
downfall of the government. but its
sponsors are prepared for a long. hard
fight e' ''-u
There is a striking parallel in the
contemplated bill to the American sys-
tenn of government, for the British plan
allows for the formation of an imperial
Parliament corresponding to the United
States Congress and of national par
iaments corresponding to the Amer
lean state legislatures, in each of the
several dominions.
single assembly, with ministry respon-
sible to it and a membership of 140
representatives of the United Kingdom,
Canada, Newfoundland, Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa. in pro-
portion of one member for about 100000
white people.
Duty of Imperial Parliament
The first duty of the imperial parlia-
rent would be to settle disputes between
the dominions; second, to make all
treaties with other powers; third, to
have the sole right to decide on mat
ters of peace and war; fourth, TO control
all the forces of the imperial army and
navy; fifth, to determine and be solely
responsible for the empires policy re-
garding citizenship, naturalization and
trade, and sixth, to impose taxes.
The imperial ministry would include
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the
Secretary of War, Secretary of the
Crown Colonies, for the Common
wealth and the Treasury, and also five
secretaries without portfolios, one rep
resenting each dominion. In addition
there would be a supreme court of the
empire appointed by the imperial gov
eminent, its whole duty being to de-
eide conflicts between It and the ma
tional parliament.
Constitutional Convention
The first step in the organization
of the imperial union would be the
calling OF g constitutional convention.
A feature OF the constitution would be
d clause declaring that no amendment
would be made without the approval
of a majority Of the dominions as
we'll as the majority Of the total com
monwealth. 1t would sit a short time
each year, probably in London There
is nothing to prevent statesmen being
Members both Of it and Of the national
parliament, and there are arguments in
favor OF it. Obviously membership in
1. is great honor
Taxation would be based on equal
contributions Of every citizen, accord
ing to his relative wealth, thus elimi-
mating the present inequality under
which residents Of the British Isles
pay FIVE times as much as Canadians
and two and half times as much as
australians. Instead Of certain taxes
being spent by separate authorities,
me whole amount would be handled
by single authority.
Two arguments, imperial defence
and preference within the empire, are
the strongest which can be urged to-
day, but both are open to attack by
labor, which desires local autonomy
and home rule. Labor demands the
fullest respect for each people, of
whatever color, preferring a Britannia
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