BULL AND SONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 5

BULL AND SONS

RECONSTRUCTING THE EMPIRE

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, March 12. Mr. A. G. Gardiner, editor of the "Daily News," in the course of a character sketch of Mr. W. M. Hughes, says:—"He is not here a<s a picturesque figure, but as a representative statesman of Greater Britain, called in to advise in the biggest work of Imperial reconstruction the world has ever seen. Australasia, a lonely and thinly populated Continent, far away in the Pacific, saw Japan awakening to new power and ambitions. Even tho United States, under Roosevelt's adventurous lead, was looking over these waters with dreams of Empire. It is not a good world to be alone in. The old attachment of the fcal to the dam had begun to' burgeon into a new relationship. Australasia had arrived at manhood, and desired to be taken into tho hrm. The great war had applied the touchstone of a tremendous peril. In a moment it was seen that behind the externals of Empire was a vital and indestructible solidarity of idea, motive, and interest. The Dominions themselves were aston. ished at the .passion -with which they rose to it. In the height of the great argument the British Empire stood re-i vealed as founded upon the rock of free institutions fighting for, British ideals against Prussianisin. The reconstruction of the Empire is the task of reconciling the liberty of the parts with the solidarity .of the whole for a common end; The idea of separation, on the fundamental matter of defence, is no longer tenable. 'John Bull' must become Bull and Sons.' Through an Imperial Parliament all the sister nations will be organised for a common Imperial policy. The Kaiser set out to destroy the Empire, but' he has only rebuilt it on deeper and surer foundations."