IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3088, 19 May 1917, Page 7

IMPERIAL WAR CABINET

PERMANENCY DESIRED

STATEMENT BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE (Rec. May IS, 5.5 p.m.) f„ h, rr ', X Undan ' Ma? 17In the House of-Commons Mr. Lloyd George said he desired to report to the House very important decisions recently made by the Imperial War Cabinet. Ifc was desirable that Parliament should be officially acquainted with an event which constituted a landmark in ..the constitutional history of. the, 'British. Empire. He outlined the events which led to the proceedings at the .meeting, and said: "The decisions reached wouldenable us to prosecute the war with increased unity and vigour, and would be of. the .greatest value when the negotiations for peaca were discussed."

The fresh minds and new viewpoint which the Government's colleagues brought to bear on problems had. been of immense help. The Government could with confidence state that the experiment had been a complete success. The Imperial War Cabinet was unanimous and had been of such service,, not. only to its members but to the Empire, that it ought not to be allowed to fall into desuetude. He hoped the annual meeting agreed upon would become an accepted convention of the British Constitution.

After referring to the functions which' had taken place, Mr. Lloyd George said it had not been attempted to settle what constitutional developments might evolve. The question of perfecting the mechanism for considering Imperial and" foreign affairs between the autonomous nations of the Imperial Commonwealth had been reserved for a special conference to be summoned as soon as possible after the war to readjust the constitutional relations of the Empire. It was believed the proposal to perpetuate the Imperial Cabinet, inoluding India, would commend itself to all the nations of the Empire.