New-York tribune., 1921-06-19
By Arthur S, Draper

LONDON, June rs.
x Isl what holds together the Brit
ish Empire is question with
u many angles. Some 100000, 900
subjects and some $4,000, 900 square
r;yss are under the rule of King
George. Peoples of every color, every
,ses. every religion, hold allegiance to
,he monarch, who rarely leaves his
sale kingdom of 120,650 square miles
which is not so large as Newfound-
r.sd and contains only 10000 square
rifles more than New Zealand, where
there are only IL persons to every
sausre mile, as against 374 in Great
Britain.
@Whas Will be the next empire to
fsHf" That questions Is asked fire.
ousntly in these days of Kaleidoscope
ehsnge, Of sudden and profound politi-
eal upheaval, of nomentous social and
economic development. The Ksiser's
Grand dream OF an empire exceeding in
area, power and wealth that of King
George is now only horrible night
mare. The Japanese Empire is devel-
oping slowly, and even then only at
the expense OF much international an
tagonism and bitterness. In popula-
tion. area and natural resources the
Great Red Empire stands supreme
with no Que TO threaten it at the mo-
meut. A casual view would disclose
no reason why King George and his
Prime Minister and privy councillors
should have the least uneasiness re-
gsrding the stability and unity of the
vast territory and the multitudes of
peoples living under the Union Jack.
They are uneasy.
Leading Statesmen Assemble
To "Reknit" Great Empire
The leading statesmen have come to
london from all parts Of the empire.
Hare in London an imperial confer
snce opens Monday to decide upon the
best methods of reknitting the empire.
It is a delicate process, requiring the
skill Of Turkish carpet-weaver or a
Belgian lacemaker. The British En-
pire is loosely knit fabric; to-day it
it almost fimsy. Here, in the center
Of the empire, David Lloyd George, the
imperial Premier, will have the task
Of directing the work. From Australia
comes Premier Hughes, whose expert
ence in handling international prob
lens is extensive. Premier Massey is
on his way from New Zealand. General
SHUTS represents South Africa. A
number Of delegates appear for India,
but Mr.. Gandhi, the most powerful IN
dividuai in that restive land, Is not
present.
1t is not by chance that Prince
Hirobito, the Crown Prince of Japan,
happened to arrive on battleship in
English waters q few weeks before the
opening of the imperial conference
The Japanese make few mistakes and
they never go off half-cocked. Prince
Hirohito is poor apology for diplo-
mat. He did not come here as a diplo-
mat in the ordinary sense of the word,
Neither did the Prince of Wales visit
the United States as a diplomat. Prince
Hirohito happened to be the guest of
the British nation at time when the
question CT the renewal of the Anglo
japanese alliance is a live issue. The
young Crown Prince, who speaks no
English, has probably not mentioned
that treaty TO Mr.. Lloyd George or to
king George or to any one else here.
That is not his Job, He is here to see
aham aerial battles, to visit art ex-
hloitions, to dine with tho Lord Mayor
and the King, to review battalions Of
soldiers and TO bring Japan before the
British public through the British
press. And he has succeeded admirably
80 far as the English people are con-
eerned, but that is not the end of the
matter.
Much Has been written to prove that
the Anglo-Japanese treaty is an innocu-