Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-16
Challenges Senator's View
OF British Empire.

To the Editor of The Star:
In speech at the Go convention at
Boston on November II, Senator Pepper
is reported as having "deplored utter
ances by the leaders Of a great nation
that indicated that considerations of
empire had not been eliminated from the
detectives Of war" In later interview
the Senator declared "he was sure that
Prime Minister Churchill did not intend
to forget humanity and become spokes-
man for empire" For this concession
Mr.. Churchill will no doubt be duly
grateful.
But to what words of the Prime Min
lister was the distinguished and learned
Senator referring? Surely only the Prime
Minister'S Lord Mayors day speech, re-
ported on November 10 as follows: I'VE
have not entered this war for profit or
expansion but only for honor and to do
our duty in defending the right.
Let me, however, make this clear: We
mean to hold our own. have not be-
come the Kings First Minister in order
to preside over the liquidation of the
British Empire. = - am proud to be a
member of that vast commonwealth and
society of nations and communities -
without which the good cause might well
have persisted from the face of the earth.
For our record we have nothing to fear.
We have no need to make excuses or
apologies"
If this is what Mr.. Pepper had In mind
1t is to be regretted that one who Is
usually so good friend of England has
not studied little of the history of the
British Commonwealth and the nature
Of Its empire. Had he done 50 he would
find nothing inconsistent in remember
ing humanity and being spokesman Of
that empire'-an empire which is so
very different from any other in history.
Other empires have existed for the
benefit of their rulers. The British En-
pire, on the contrary, exists for the bene-
fit of the ruled and for the security Of
its components, and all who have studied
1t know that 1t has operated to the adj
vantage Of the whole world.
No part Of the British Empire pays
taxes or tribute of any kind to Britain;
every penny raised in taxes is spent on
the inhabitants of the colony; indeed
Britain makes free grants of money to
many of her colonies. No part of the
empire is obliged to buy from, or sell to,
Britain; in fact, the colonies buy only
rs per cent of their imports from Britain
and trade freely with other countries.
Any foreign nation is free to invest in
any part of the British Empire. There is
twice as much British capital invested
in single foreign country-the Argen-
tine-as In all the British colonies. In
the British Empire are colored cabinet
ministers, colored high court Justices,
colored Anglican bishops and colored
naval and military officers Of high COM
missioned rank.
The British Commonwealth Is q huge
experiment in observation-disclosures league
Of nations that works. It consists
Of nations which are completely IN
dependent. and other member states
which are being guided and helped to the
same goal. It's basis Is liberty and prog
ress. Most people know that the great
dominions- Canada, Australia, etc-are
independent Of and equal In al respects
to England herself q parties in the COM
monwealth. But sven thoss colonies