The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-10

might be reluctant to admit it, one Of
the chief reasons for that loyalty Is
that the crown is, to the Dominions,
about the safest symbol of allegiance
they could adopt, since in it is vested
all the glory and splendor of the en-
pire, but little or none of the power
to interfere in Dominion government
Progress of the Reign.
Self-government in the Dominions
has progressed by leaps and bounds
since George V became king May 6,
1910. That was the date of his actual
accession; he did not receive his coro-
nation until June %, 1911. In the 25
years which the Jubilee celebrates,
here are some of the things that have
happened in the Dominions and which
have gone far toward making the king
the tremendously important figure.
symbolically, that he is:
Colonies which reached the status of
Dominions In Queen Victoria's reign,
as well as some protectorates, have
progressed to a state of virtually COM
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exception is Newfoundland, which
floundered about in heavy financial
seas until it, of necessity, waived its
Dominion status and became once
more dependent upon Great Britain.
At the other extreme is southern
Rhodesia. This at the outset of the
reign of George V was merely an I'M
charted land in southeastern Africa,
owned by the British South Africa
company, Ltd. Southern Rhodesia has
become almost a Dominion today. 1t is
supervised not by the colonial office,
but by the Dominions Office. Its prin-
cipal difference from other Dominions
is that the kings ministers in England
still reserve the right to veto laws
passed by the Rhodesian legislature,
while in the other Dominions the veto
power rests entirely with ministers
in the Dominion.
Under the reign of George V, many
of the colonies have made progress
with their constitutions which allow
them more and more freedom in choos-
ing their own legislators, rather than
having a good share of them appointed
in the name of the crown.
Since the war, many of the colonies
peopled with races other than the white
have seen their share of this progress
as well. These include the Gold coast,
Ceylon, Sierra Leone, and the protec-
torates Of Uganda and Zanzibar, which
have been given new and more liberal
constitutions. In some of the colonies
definite restrictions have been placed
on the white inhabitants to protect the
rights of the colored natives. Native
interests have been protected in Tan
ganyika, the Cameroons, Palestine and
Transjordan. Iraq, once colony, has
achieved complete independence and is
now a member of the League of Ma
lions.
Gain New Rights.
These places are, however, the only
ones which have fallen back. New
constitutional rights were gained by
Hong Kong, northern Nigeria, Trini-
dad and British Guiana. India, with
its 312,OO0,O00 people, large as Europe
and with as many different races, has
been brought to the very doorstep of
complete self-government, with only
British protecting influence.
From this it may be seen that many
a land over which the British flag flies
is simply a protectorate, many are col
onies, and many independent Do
minions. All Of them in all classified
lions have individual governments, no
two just alike. The power of the
crown then, despite the fact that we
in America often fail to realize it, is
absolutely essential to people whose
very existence depends upon its rela-
lions with colonies and Dominions. 1t
matters not that the power is little
more than symbolic. 1t is there.
The colonies and Dominions have
more than a jubilant interest in this
Jubilee, for trade and defense prob