The Washington times., 1922-06-04
MONTREAL. Quebec. June 8.

idhCok puDa" lNtcIFHCcos
W declares that his ideal re-
mains free and Independent Ire
land" and expresses the deep con.
viction that under the present
arrangement with CIR ,at Britain we
can secure it," he voices sentiments
that are both practical and realiz-
able.
The more the Irish situation is
examined the more clearly It takes
shape as one Of the most fateful
incidents in the history of the Brit
ish Empire. When the Anglo Irish
agreement was signed in London
q step was taken that must pro-
foundly affect the evolution of the
, British dominions ir the near fu-
ture and. in turn, rechurt the
course of empire.
The establishment in ireland of
q free state possessing the essen
tials of dominion government Of
fers possibilities which the die
hard opponents of Lloyd George
were quick to apprchend as among
the probabilities of a not remote
future.
SHOT NEAR THE MARK.
When a prominent English
statesman referred to the British
premier as a man who was intent
upon losing the empire by a
policy Of opportunism and conces-
sion, he was nearer the mark
than many imperialists care to
acknowledge.
Just as the century of the act
OF union was marked by profound
changes in the parliamentary insti-
tutions of Great Britain, due to
the Irish center party in the
British commons, so it may reason
ably be conceded that the London
treaty establishing an Irish Free
State will radically affect the
trend of empire: The London
agreement makes of Ireland a
potential spearhead of the move
ment toward independence which
is now agitating the British do
minions.
Ireland as a British dominion
will inevitably bring to swift ma
turity the growth of dominion in
dependence, for in Ireland there is
q solidarity of opinion against the
organic unity Of the empire not to
be found in other parts Of the
Kings dominions. In Canada and
South Africa-the most advanced
of the existing dominions-British
immigration and the taint of
colonialism combine to retard ma
tional emancipation from the last
vestiges Of imperial sovereignty.
CONFLICT is SEEN.
"The necessities OF empire also
tend to force a conflict between
the dominion autonomists and the
imperialists. Only the other day
the Canadian Parliament was
startled out Of its complacency by
a cable from London attributing to
the Canadian high commissioner
the statement that unless the
British embargo upon Canadian
cattle was removed cit would place
q potential weapon of considerable
power In the hands Of the annexa-
.tionists Of the prairie provinces"
The divergent interests Of the
several parts Of the empire offer a
wide field for open conflict be-
tween the imperial government
and the dominions. At the last
imperial conference in London,
South Africa dissented emphati-
cally from a resolution that was
carried giving equality Of citizen
ship to East Indian settlers, while
in British Columbia the Indian set.
tiers are denied the franchise.
The discriminating laws in the
dominions against settlers from
the dependency Of India contribute
as much to the solidarity OF the
Ghandi movement for independ-
ence as the treatment accorded by
Great Britain to the spiritual head
Of tho Moslem world. That these
divergent interests cannot be recon-
ciled and must in the end hasten
the process Of empire disintergra-
tion is the sober opinion Of all who
Aave given serious study to en-
Are problems.
There was a time when the pol
icy Let well enough alone" gov
erned the action Of British states
men in their dealings with the do
mtnions, but that day has gone.
The demand OF Canada to be rep
resented separately at the Wash
ington and Genoa conferences is a
formal notice to the empire that
the domination Of the British
foreign office in all external af-
fairs affecting the dominions no
longer conforms to the wishes or