The Dominion SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1913. THE BRITANNIC QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1818, 2 August 1913, Page 4

The Dominion SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1913. THE BRITANNIC QUESTION.

The greatest problem facing the British Empire at the present time is the working out of a system of Britannic union which will ensure the _ closest co-operation of the various British communities without interfering with the normal development of their national life and character, or impairing their powers of self-government. Tho evolution of a permanent association of free communities on these lines is an inspiring object, and is well worthy of the best endeavours of statesmen and students of political and social science. The history of other nations contains many useful lessons; but the special circumstances connected with the origin and growth of the autonomous Dominions recognising the sovereignty of the British King have created a problem which is in many respects unique, and make the rigid application of historical precedents impossible. In fact, there are no real precedents, because history affords no precise parallels to the conditions with which we are as an Empire at present confronted. Broadly speaking, there appears to be two main ideals before us —Imperial federation or Britannic alliance; and these alternatives are discussed in a very interesting manner by Mr. Richard Jedd in a book entitled The Britannic Question, which has recently been published. Mr. Jebb has made a special study of Imperial problems, and is the author of Studies in Colonial Nationalism, and other writings of a similar character. Though one may not agree with all the views advocated in his latest book, his historical sketch of the origin and development of the Imperial Conference and tho Committee of Imperial Defence is dccidedly instructive.

Mit. Jebb's sympathies are in favour of tho method of alliance as against federation. "The Imperial expression of colonial nationalism has been," lie writes, "the idea of Britannic alliancc, as opposed to the perpetuation of colonial dependence, or to any form of Imperial union which would permanently establish the supremacy of Britain in the councils of the Empire." Ho contends that the principle of alliance finds expression in the procedure of the Imperial Conference and in the system of "fleet units," while tho methods of the Committee of Imperial Defence and colonial contributions for the British Navy point in the direction of Imperial federation. The Imperial Conference emphasises the idea of alliance because it is really "a consultative Board of responsible Governments, including tho British Government as primus inter pares"; but the author considers that a step in the opposite direction was made in 1911 when the consideration of defence and foreign policy was removed from the Imperial Conference and handed over to the Committee of Imperial Defence. This Committee, he points out, is entirely under tho control of the British Prin;o Minister; its procedure is a State secret; members are personal advisers to the British Prime Minister, and not representatives of an external Government. On these grounds it is urged that the Committee represents the conception of tho Empire as a centralised State, with the British Cabinet as the Imperial Executive. The transfer of foreign affairs as a subject for discussion from the Imperial Conference to the Defence Committee was regarded by many people with much approval as the inauguration of a real partnership in foreign policy, but Mr. Jedb takes a very different view. Ho says "it was, in effect, an attempt to nip in the bud the development begun in 1907, when the Imperial Conference asserted more definitely than before its right of reviewing and being consulted in the foreign policy of the Imperial Government." This opens up a question of farreaching importance in the relations between the Mother Country and the other 1 Britannic States. No final decision as to what will be the ultimate character of the Imperial partnership has yet been arrived at. Every aspect of the problem will have to be fully and carefully discussed, and wc arc all indebted to men like Mr. Jedb for placing before us the results of their studies, even though wc may not always be able to sec eye to eye with them. Me. Jebb may bo mistaken in some of the conclusions he draws from the facts he places before his readers, but his able statement of the facts is none the less valuable on that account. One may also feel that he makes too sharp a distinction between the ideas of federation and alliance. It is quite conceivable that a permanent scheme of Empire consolidation may be evolved which will include tho best features of the ,two methods which lie has placed in contrast.