Evening star., 1942-12-27
The Empire at YuIetide

by King George vi to his subjects
throughout the globe breathes the
same note of restrained hopefulness
and confidence in the future that has
been evident in recent utterances by
Britain's spokesmen, official and un-
official alike. Pointing out that the
wars ordeal had shown the value of
what we might have lost" the King
declared that "the lessons learned
during the forty tremendous months
behind us have taught us how to
work together for victory, and we
must see to it that we keep together
after the war to build a worthier
future"
This emphasis on the integral
survival, not only of Britain but of
the worldwide association of diverse
lands and peoples centered in the
British Isles, parallels Prime Minis
ter Winston Churchills recent asser-
ton that he dtS not become Premier
ito preside over the liquidation of
the empire" And the extraordinary
response. in large part voluntary, of
the empires most remote sections,
indicates common purpose and
aspiration that cannot but tend to
weld them together in the postwar
future as we'll as in the wartime
present.
The amazing fabric usually called
the British Empire has SO long defled
political logic that its persistence as
an essential unity is unique in his
tory. The very term has become a
misnomer, in the strictly technical
sense, because the governing
dominions have become entirely in
dependent of the motherland since
the Statute of Westminster, passed a
decade ago, The only tangible bond
uniting them today is the almost
metaphysical link of the crown. the
reigning monarch in Britain being
simultaneously King Of Australia,
Canada. South Africa and New Zea-
land. Those dominions, together
with Britain itself, constitute the
British Commonwealth of Nations,
wholly voluntary association which
could be legally terminated at any
time. To them, perhaps technically,
should be added Fire, wholly
anomalous case, since Fire is neutral
in the present war and actually
maintains diplomatic relations with
the Axis enemies of the empire.
The commonwealth of nations,
however, is merely one phase of the
British Empire" There are two
other phases, the colonies and India.
The colonies range in size and popu-
lation from huge West African
Nigeria to tiny islands and purely
military or naval bases like Alden and
Gibraltar. Many of them, like the
British West Indies, have varying
degrees of local self government, but
they are still under the authority of
the British Parliament and are thus
organically connected with the
homeland. India's status is admit
tedly transitional, though Britaln's
paramount sovereignty is maintained
against growing native opposition.
The chief problem of India's political
future is not so much British reluc-
tance to grant India full dominion
status, or even independence, as it
is internal divisions among the vast
population, deeply divided by CULTS
of religion, race and outlook. India
undoubtedly is the thorniest problem
with which British craftsmanship is
confronted.
Nevertheless. the basic self-confl-
dence of Britons everywhere in their
future seems to be greater today
than at any time since the start OF
the war. Materially, this is the
leanest wartime Christmas of the
four which the Tight Little Island
has endured. Reserves have been
mostly consumed, and further belt
Tightening is the order of the day.
But spiritually the mood is exalted.
Britain no longer fights alone, as 1t
did for nearly two terrible years OF
gruelling revcrses. Two great powers,
the United States and the Soviet
Union, now fight in the same cause.
A vast coalition, the United Nations,
is on the offensive on every battle
front throughout the globe. The
omens are bright. And the spirit Of
Britain reflects the change.