LINKS OF EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1595, 12 November 1912, Page 6

LINKS OF EMPIRE.

SPEECH BY LORD HALDANE. Viscount Haldano visited his former East Lothian constituents on September 24, the occasion being the conferring upon him the freedom of the Royal Burgh of Dunbar, Provost Low presided over the ceremony, which was held in the Com Exchange, in-tho presenceof a large gathering. Public interest in the' event was manifested by the' observance of a partial holiday, and the decoration of the principal buildings. Provost Low- presented the burgess tioket,- in a silver-mounted' casket of .oak taken from the old Town House. The taking of the oath of burgess-ship was a quaint ceremony. Lord Haldano had to shoulder an old-fashioned musket with his left hand, and with his right hand raised repeat the oath of office. Lord Haldane said ho had a confession to make. "I have just returned from the military manoeuvres,", he continued, "and my heart is with the soldier whom I love so much. (Cheers.)- T am. lifco one of those people who are in love with two womeu at 'the same time. (Laughter.) I cannot take,my heart away from tho Army, but there aro aspects of my prosent office which appeal to mo very strongly. 'In the oare of the Army all I can say is that I put my wholo soul into working 'Out a now organisation us to which the test of time is being applied. The military organisation of this country is a • very difficult business. The difficulties are not, as I think people often assume, difficulties raised by the indisposition of the people, but anso from the enormously complicated strategical considerations which have to bo taken' into account. ; "It is not merely the soldiers that must judge of these things, it is the mind of the sailor, the mind of tho soldier, and.the mind of the statesman brought together, and I think one of the happiest events in the strategical' history of this country was the devising by that distinguished statesman, Mr. Balfour, of the Committee of Imperial Defence; It was here that different . minds were brought together. I; have worked very hard in \ that ' committee—harder than most people know. The advantage of that body is that without reference to politics or party, it carries-on continually the development of a common strategy; Every yearbringsmorelight and more clearness. : The course of development goes on. It must be affected by great considerations of foreign affairs, but the continuity is preserved none the less, and it is to the work that has been done in tho last ten years in connection with that problem that I think we may look most-hopefully for our security for the future. AThe new spirit is penetrating everywhere} It is penetrating the Array." I had something to do with that,'- and when I saw the manoeuvres I confess, it was ■ with pleasure I saw the perfection with which the machine was working arid the smoothness with which the operations were carried out." (Cheers.) But, important as strategical considerations were, his. Lordship said, they were only one of three great-points by which the Empire was bound together. Imperial defence was one great subject. Most,apparent of all. and never greater than at the present-time, was the affection in' which, in ' conjunction with the-Mother Country, the Dominions overseas regarded the Crown. Never was the form of Gov-. ernment, with the 1 King at! the head, with his various bodies and Constitutional advisers, in different parts ;of the Empire, of more importance. (Cheers.) There was a third,' less obvious, with which.be had to do. • That was a great link which' bound the' Empire together— tho Judicial Committee of the.Privy Council. That was a most real link in the Empire, and one- that had not received nearly the attention it Tequired. "I hope," proceeded Lord Haldane, "it may be given to me to make an effort such, as I tried to mako in .connection with military matters towards tho end of developing, still further .the ..importance and meaning of this supreme tribunal. We do not desire to meddle in the. affairs of the Dominions, but we find that if wo provide them with an absolutely impartial Court they come to it and .welcome it."■'. (Cheers.). Last summer, the month of July had been devoted to hearing' the Canadian appeals exclusively.' [The Court put their very souls into business, and he thought they had made a considerable impression.- What had been done for Canada they hoped to do for Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa, and for every part of the Empire that chose to resort to that unique and. remarkable tribunal which was like no other in the world. : It had been doing magnificent work for many years, and they desired to: develop it still further. He nad a Bill, before Parliament for that purpose, and'he hoped the House of Commons would show great interest in. it. (Cheers.)