FUTURE OF EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 7

FUTURE OF EMPIRE.

MUST REST ON DEMOCRATIC BASIS. COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS By Tclegrapli-I'ress Associfliioii-CopyriclU London, November 2(j. The members of the Empire Pallia-, moiitary Party wore welcomed at a banquet at the Savoy by tho EmpireParliamentary Association. Lord Haldaiie (Lord Chancellor)) presided, Ho said that the visit to tin; overseas Dominions had done something to drawcloser the ovcrsens and the ISritish Parliaments. There was much to Irani from overseas. Australia, with a. Labour Government, had handled tho matter of defence in a way that had surprised and ediliod Britain, while tho Sliitos— notably Xciv South Wales and Victoria —had dealt with the education question in a spirit of enlightenment which he hoped the Jlolheriand would one. day realise.

As the result of their visit, ho added, lie hoped to see their overseas colleagues como more frequently to exchange ideas. The great causes of divergences and differences were ignorance and want of sympathy, and these could only ho overcome by personal intercourse. ; Lord Eminott (Under-Secretary of State. for the Colonies, and chairman of the party that visited the Dominions} paid a- tribute to tho lavish hospitality that had neon accorded the party. Ho added that an outstanding fact was that, for good or ill, the future of the. Empire must rest on a democratic basis. Tho Empire must stand for just Labour conditions. If, ho added, the Empire fell apart, it would bo duo to a lack of sympathy, imagination, and knowledge. "In future tho overseas idea, of Empire, will not rest rupon. affection. They think of the Empire as a commonwealth of nations, wherein their influence is constantly Crowing, and as a partnership where in course of time they will acquire greater power .audi have a larger measure of responsibility. It is therefore essential that this overseas ideashould always he kept in view. If wo care, greatly about the.Empire, wn must take care that the -'working man also cares for the Empire. I. believe that tho worker could fit; made to believe in the Empire if treated carefully, and- if he knew that tho Empire- stood for great moral causes."

Australian criticism, he concluded, was a warning that the Empire must stand for just Labour conditions, and a chance for all to live ;'t decent, happy, and contented life. Lord Ha.ldane, replying to the toast of "The Chairman," said that the War Office had done something by its exchange of military officers. This'had resultedin an exchange of expert knowledge, and of a. common plan of defence. Tlio secret of dealing with the Empire was to have no east-iron plan. The e.\chniigo of views and ideas would lead to tlio growth of common unity and' action. The Judicial Committee was an important link in the Empire, and Imperial in reality. There was no reason why it should not sit overseas if re-* quired.

A CANADIAN'S VIEW. SPEECH BY "N.-mONALISTE" LEADER. (Rcc. November 28, 0,30 a.m.) Ottawa, November 27. _ Mr. Bourassa, Leader of tlio "Nationaliste" Party in Canada, addressing tlio Canadian Club, said that each of tho self-governing Dominions ought to protect its own territory. It was absurd to pretend that a given policy ought to be adopted for any one Dominion because -some other Dominion had found it acceptable and feasible, He illustrated his point- by a comparison of Canada's and New Zealand's attitude on naval matters. Britain, he said) ought to undertake tlio general defence of Use Empire while she insisted l on the gen-oral control of the naval and military forces, and of the naval policy.