THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Issue 2, 8 July 1940, Page 4

THE BRITISH EMPIRE

THE British Empire is so vast and complex a political organism that it is even difficult to say exactly where it begins and ends. It maybe said to comprise. a,ll those.temtoiresand peoples for whose Government the member-states of the British Commonwealth of Nations are' responsible. The community of free and equal nations to which the Dominions and the United Kingdom belong is generally known as the British Commonwealth. Some people treat this term as contrasting with British Empire,, a title which they reserve for the Crown colonies and other dependent territories only. But this is not the usage of official documents, nor it it satisfactory in practice. No doubt the British Empire is far from perfect. It has come into being through historical events not all of which could be defended in this era of higher standards of international conduat. f The policies "of its members in economic, political, racial, and colonial affairs are doubtless often open to criticism, but at least they are constantly undergoing such criticism, not only from its friends a,rid enemies without,, but also from its own citizens, individually or by way of their press, parliaments, and institutions. Through all its affairs blows the keen and cleansing wind of democracy, based on freedom of speech, of the- press, of faith, and of association. These elementary rights of the peoples of the British Empire—whatever their race, religion, and colour- —are protected by the rule of law. Such are the fundamentals of the British Empire way of life. If they were to go it would not matter that the Empire was physically strong or economically prosperous; for it would have abandoned its message and lost its value for the world. It is for the sake of freedom, and of the. behaviour between nations that alone enables men to be free, that the peoples of the British Empire entered the war against Nazi tyranny, bad faith, and aggression.