The New York herald., 1921-06-12

next week-a conference which prom
ises to prove momentous in the en-
pire's history. For the first time as a
normal affair of peace times the do
minions will take formal directive
share in the shaping of the imperial
foreign policy regarding the Anglo
Japanese treaty as of first importance
of all questions to be discussed.
1t is extremely likely that the con-
ference Ultimately will establish en-
tirely new fiscal arrangements between
the mother country and the domin-
ions, although it is not yet permitted
to speak formally about any plan de-
signed to induce the dominions to
bear larger share of the burdens of
the navy and other items of imperial
defence.
Furthermore, the groundwork will
be laid at the present meeting for a
subsequent larger gathering at which
an effort will be made to remove the
strange constitutional anomalies now
governing the relations between the
mother country and her children. The
world restlessness after the war
brought to light the feeling that some
thing formal must be accomplished so
as definitely to establish the relation
ships.
New Zealander Quotes Poetry.
Sir John Findlay of New Zealand,
speaking before the Royal Colonial In
stitute this week, expressed this senti-
ment when he quoted from Matthew
Arnold:
That empire after empire at their height
Have felt their huge frames not constructed
right
And dropped and slowly died upon their
Then he proceeded to sketch the de-
velopment OF the relationship between
the colonies and Great Britain from
the days when Viscount Palmerston as
Premier. facing a tactical difficulty in
forming Cabinet, remarked:
We'll, I'll take the colonies myself"
Then he had a permanent under Official
take him upstairs to the colonial office,
where he said: "Just show me on the
map where those damned places are."
Coming down to to-day. he told Of
Andrew Bonar Law. who declared that
II any dominion wished to secede from
the Empire there is nothing to prevent
1t. 1t was a statesman as recent as
Herbert Asquith in 1911. he said, who
declared that autonomous dominions
could not share in the foreign policy or
the questions of peace and war, while
Lord Morely only few years ago ridi-
culed the idea Of British world state,
H. = L. IL =
be expected to support imperial wars
that did not concern the affairs Of their
own people. AS against these prophesies
Sir John Findlay merely pointed out tho
part the dominions took in the great war.
Can Override Dominions.
But while that act has consolida ted
fmpregnably the sentimental devotion of
the colonies for the old country. he ad-
nnits that there is a growing feeling In
New Zealand, as elsewhere, that the
colonies must have a larger surety for
their places on the empire councils. He
alluded to the fact that it is still legally
possible for the Parliament at West
minister to override any act of any
dominion parliament. although accord
ing to that-to Americans-strange
thing, the British constitution, such ac-
tion Is quite impossible.
Sir John, however, wants the declara-
tion made that the constitutional situa.
tion has clear precedence over mere
legal FORM He Is not in favor of any
formal organic union, and the other
dominion statesmen apparently agree
with him.
In my Judgment" he said. .'the
genius of our nation may safely be left
TO solve the enigma of how to combine
the fullest independence of nationhood
with maximum unity for all great Inn
periai purposes. This will be solDd, not
by some novel. skilfully devised r{achin-
cry Of government. but by treading in
a spirit Of loyal cooperation the we'll
worn path of the past. This is my
answer to all schemes for a definitely
crystallized imperial federation. Such a
federation involves the surrender of i'm
portant powers to a central council or
executive. and this is antithetic to the
spirit of the unfettered as we'll as TO
the development Of the national freedom
which gave us that imperial solidarity
displayed in the great war"
Want Closer Concert.
II is a greater consultative dominion
concert which the Premers seek. de-
spite the fuct that they themselves OBJ
don too often. Various high commits !
sioners here already are exercising pow |
ers tremendously larger than before the |
war. and II is probably due TO their in |
fluence that the Auglo-Japanese treaty |
was held up until the Dominion Pre- |
miers could be heard.
Sir John Findlay instanced I'm this |
connection England's transference OF |
Samoa to Germany twenty years ago !
without consulting New Zealand and |
thereby creating burning resentment |
.-cie which lasted until the war broke |
OCT. lie suggests n plenary conferenc /
at least every two years. meeting either |
In London or alternate dominion capt. |
tais. with responsible dominion cabinet |
ministers remaining In London perma-
nently to consult with British Cabinet
officials. lie would have the action OF
ell these, however. subject 10 ratifica-
tion by the dominion parliaments.
Ones of the most interesting features
OF Sir Johns speech is this concluding
suggestion Some day there will be
world conflict between the East and tho
West, and os the only means of prc-
serving our western civilization a larger
daration may be imperatively required
which will embrace all English speaking
ncOple of thp rlobe and will hr,,c 90 |