New Britain herald., 1930-03-28
SLOW REVOLUTION
 IN BRITISH EMPIRE
DominionS Gradually Becoming
 as Free as U, 5,

the American War for Independence | more than 150 years ago; thanks 10 1 the lesson John Bull then took deep ! lY to heart; and, finally. thanks to ! the magnificent work of the British | Dominons in the World War-thc | British Empire promises soon to be | composed of the United Kingdom | and its colonies, and Of Dominions | which in all essentials each will be | a free and Independent United States |
 A great silent revolution within the i empire has almost been achieved.
 Gradually the great colonies have l been transformed into clr-govcrning ! Dominons, and since tho World | War this movement has reached . 4 such impetus that they arc now considered subordinate to the mother | country, but her equals and partners | all bound to each other by the fact . that they have the same king.
 Four years ago an Imperial Con- ! ference was held in London. Tn it's report it declared in relation 10 the ! United Kingdom and the Dominions that
 
 ties within the British Empire, equal i in status, in no way subordinate ono i to another in any aspect of their do- . mcsUc or external affairs, though | united by a comm allegiance to the i crown, and freely associated as mcm- | bcrs of tho British commonwealth | , of nations"
 With regard to the position Of the | governor general who is named by . the British government and sent 10 each of the pominions, including the | Irish Free Statc the Imperial con- ference reported that an essential i consequence of this equality of status | was that the governor general was i the representative of the crown, | holding in all essential respects the 1 same position in relation to the ad 1 ministration of public affairs in the | Dominion as is held by the king in | the United Kingdom, and that he is | not the representative or agent of the 1 British government or any depart | ment of that government.
 Can't Veto Dominion Laws
 These things seemed broad enough ! and sweeping enough. but thero was , more 10 come. The Imperial Confer | cucc set up q committee 10 take Nari- l . oUs other points under advisemCnt ! and report to the next Imperial Con | ference in London this summer. This | report has just been completed. The first point taken up was that ! or "disaloWancc." The power Of dis allowance" or the right of the crown, hitherto exercised on the advice of 1 the British ministers, to annul an act passed by a Dominion legislature. | Formerly this was done frequently, '. hut it has not been exercised as 10 {. New Zealand since 1867 nor as 10 1 Canada since 1873. It was never 1 exercised with regard to the loSisla 1 ton of Australia or South Africa i and in the case oC inc Irish Free . State no such power was granted the 1 British crown.
 Rut 10 make things absolutely i clear and final. the committee rec ! ommends that the laws passed by the ! Parliamcuts of any British Domin- i ionf be as free from interference or annulmcnt by Great Britain as are 1 the laws passed by inc American 1 ! Congress.
 Block "PoCkct Nctocs'
 The next enormous step. was with l regard to reservation" or the with | , holding of assent by d governor gen 1 eral to bill duly passed by the 1 legislature Of Dominion in order ! that kings pleasure may be taken 1 thereon. The committee points out that tho constitutions of some of the | Dominions give them the ability so to amend the laws as to abolish this ] power of reservation and they rec 1. +, Ommend that this be done-lf the | Dominons so desire. Other Domin- l ions have constitutions which require 1. . inc cooperation of the British Par, liamcnt for such a step. In this case, ! | if these Dominions desire tho change. i they recommend that the Eoycru- l ment of the United Kingdom ask the ] British Parliament to pass the ncCcs- | , Hary legislation.
 Tho next sweeping change recon | mcndcd by the committee has 10 do i with tho colonial laws validity act passed by the British Parliament in 1 / S65. This act conferred upon Do ! minion legislation the power 10 make | laws even though rcguEnant to Eng | fish common law, but they could not i , pass laws ropugnant 10 the provisions |, of acts passed by the British Parlja- | mcnt. The recommendation now is ! that tho British Parliament cna"' i Legislation declaring in terms that ! 2 the act of 1865 shall no longer apply 1 to tho laws passed by any Domlnon |
 Powers of the King
 These recommendations if adopt 1 cd by the Imperial Conference this 1 year, will give each Dominion prac- tically absolute independence in it's law-maknG powers.
 But another vast change is also | . recommended by the committee. The l Dominons are united by a common | allegiance to the crown. In the past | all laws, relating to the succession to 1 h the throne and the matter Of royal | style and titles. have been within the l sole puryicW of the British parli1- l mont. Now the committee recom- | mend5 that, hereafter. if the British i Parliament makes any change in | these laws. they shall require the as | sent of the Parlianment3 of all the l Dominons.