The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-03-31
A BEwILDr1tING STATEMENT.

A BEWILDIItING STATEMENT.
Under the title. 'Is the British Empire Break
ing Up" Sir John Foster Frascr. T.. II. @. $,
contributes an article to the New York Times
which Is not only intensely interesting but is
rcplete with amazing statements
Sir John, who In In America. M arc most Eng
lish writer's and publicsts at this time, and for
the purpose OF offsettIng antl-IritLsh sentiment
and propaganda. confcs,es that he is met with
the question which titles his article moro FREE
auently than any other. lie also oonfcssos that
tho question s pertinent and cannot be answered
with finaity by any living man. hut he as
sers his belief that negative answer II the
correct answer.
IIo as frankly confcsses that the unrest and
dissatisfaction existing In the various colonies
and dominions Is giving the statesmen OF Eng
land much concern, and explains that the Inn
pcrlai conference OF empire prime ministers
which has been called to mcot during tho year,
Is FOR the purpose of alloying disoontent and
working out IA satisfactory relationship between
the component parts OF the empire.
lie then makes "a statement concerning Eng
iish policy that is bewderng to The informed,
to-wit:
Let me say this clearly and definitely. II
and when "A dominion or a commonwealth
comes to the conclusion that II would he
better as an independent nation than
member OF the family OF nations WhiCh
compose the British Empire there will be-
active opposition In England.
This, coming from one 30 highly and confi-
dentiaily positloned in the British empire, IL
nothing less than astounding; for ono must
Si, as IA at NJ
cerning the latest phase OF English imperialisc
policy. and yet TO do that one must needs shut
onos eyes to what Is now going on in various
sections Of the empire az well as forget the his
tory OF that empire.
And yet the statement Is no more amazing
than this which follows It:
Though am well aware there arc many
people In America who believe that the en-
pire, which now covers one-fourth of the
habitabie globe, was the outcome of design,
supported by war, the real fact is that 1t
came into being moro by accident than
through policy.
Here is direct denial OF every historical
event of the last 800 years which touches the
imperial expansion OF the British empire Was
tho slbjugation of india mere accdcnt2 Aud
what OF South Africa, was there no design in
that? or to come TO moro recent happenings
was III mere HCCldcnt tnht inc ouuS ana fIud
of the earth's surface fell to Great Britain under
tho mandatory system consequence OF the
lato war, or was It by the deepest and craftiest
design?
evidently sir John does not know his empire
and the history Of It he Is deliberately toy
ing with American crcdulity. Possibly 1t IS i'm
polite and lacking in hospitality that we should
thus boldly challenge the assertions of n guest.
1tf tbnr, a. ,, no
served In this matter. and since the dstin-
guishcd visitor has come among us for no other
purpos, than to bcttcr his own parsnps, We
mus, be permitted TO sct him right as often aud
as promptly as he errs.
II would be wonderous thing for the peace
Of tho world II It were true tnat the imperial
lists Of Downing street would Indulge IN no op-
position 90 scparatst movements among the
peoples who have been brought under the do
minion OF tho British Jack Bu, who, knowing
history, believes It? while one might for argu-
ment sake concedc that such will be the pos
sIble policy Of tho future the fact remains in
dclbiy written in human history that (. was
never policy Of the past, and is not present
policy, as a certain bit Of history now IN tho
making demonstrates to an everlasting finality.
Our own separatist ambitions coucurrcd IN by
vast majority Of people were purchased
by blood and sacrifices that hosgar description
And the force OF the argument is not disturbed
by the complacent and undIEnIncd explanation
now frequently being heard by British states.
men, that "A German king was then on tho
throne OF England"
This attempt to paint the British empire as a
benevolent confederacy Of free states pars pre-
cisey with the previous attempt TO paint the
league OF nations humanitarian effort on
the part of the great powers to guarantee to