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The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1919. ORGANISING THE EMPIRE

Although the war gave rise to a remarkable demonstration of the unity of the British Empire, it has clone little to facilitate a solution of the problem of Imperial Federation—the substitution, that is to say, of a more or less cut and dried political constitution for the .loose but effpetive understanding which' now unites the United Kingdom and its Dominions. It is true that a forward step of considerable importance was taken wnen representatives of the self-governing Dominions were invited to join the British War Cabinet, and availed themselves of that invitation. The measure of progress thus made towards effective representation of the Dominions in matters of Imperial concern is likely to be maintained. An arrangement under which the Dominions are given a voice in Imperial and foreign affairs through the agency of Ministers resident in London or frequently visiting that metropolis is capable in itself of being usefully developed. The problem of setting up a really representative Imperial authority presents, however, much the same difficulties to-day as it did before the war. It must bo added that the experience of the war years has in some respects weakened the case for framing an Imperial constitution. In these years very clear evidence has been afforded that a plose afrd effective partnership between a number of autonomous countries is not of necessity dependent upon their'organic federation under a single legislative authority. The contention that organic federation of the Empire is the only alternative to its eventual disintegration has not, perhaps, been disproved, but it certainly is less convincing than it was before the unity of the Empire had been tested in war. No practical survey of the position can overlook the fact that the obstacles to the creation of an Imperial Parliament are as great ,as they ever were. Bearing this in mind, it must be doubted whether any official sanction attaches to the particulars given by an American correspondent in London of a Bill,, "providing for the reorganisation of the Empire," which he says is to be submitted to -the British Parliament in September. As it is outlined by the correspondent (in a ca-blegram published yesterday), the Bill is clearly not one which the British Government would ask Parliament to pass without inviting the fullest consultation with the Dominions. Moreover, it embodies provisions which the Dominions .would undoubtedly reject on accmtnt of their invasion of . local autonomy. It seems not unlikely that the Bill is a private measure promoted by the group whose view 3 on Imperial Fecieration were set forth .by Me. Lionel Cuiitis in The Problem of the Commonwealth and other publications. In any case, it may be taken for granted that no Dominion would agree to an arrangement under which an Imperial Parliament of 140 members would be" constituted on a population basis and invested with taxing powers: and with supremo authority over defonce. In a Parliament so constituted, the Mother Country would enjoy approximately' seventy per cent, of the representation, so that if they becamo parties to thf arrangement the Dominions would exchange the status of self-govern-ing democracies for that of subordinate provinces of the Empire. It goes without saying that.unification on these lines is not likely to Ibo seriously considered by the overseas Dominions.

It is, of course, recognised that the existing state of affairs leaves a great deal to be desired. One of its most glaring defects is the inequitable distribution of defence expenditure as between the people of the United Kingdom and those of the Dominions. The following table shows the factual defence expenditure of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, in the financial year 1913-14, and the same expenditure as it would have been distributed had it been proportioned in each ease to white population: — Expenditure on Actual population expenditure. basis. r , £ ■ J! Canada 2,703,603 0,180,920 Australia 1,081,580 5,G8G,92vS Now Zealand 765,321 1 331 111 South Africa 1,345,031 7,555,490 United Kingdom 72,3-16,277 57,437,909 Total 81,241,82-1- 81,241,824 The prospective limits of defence expenditure are a matter of somewhat open conjecture at the moment, but ordinary jusfc'ce plainly demands that the financial and other burdens entailed in making provision fur the defence of the Empire sliouid be more equitably distributed henceforth than in the past. Any -practical consideration of the question, however, must take account of the fact that the Dominions unquestionably will insist upon exercising full control over whatever contribution they make. Nor can it be ignored that the prevailing tendency with the Dominions is to organise thoir own ttqhemcs of defence (which need not hinder a co-ordinate'd Imperial plan) as distinct from contributing

to the funds available to the Britisti Government for defence purposes.

The position in regard to defence is typical of the position as a whole. On the facts in sight the only tenable conclusion seems to bo that while there are excellent prospccts of the extension and development of Imperial co-ordination, and co-op-eration, there are poor prospects of welding the Empire into a political confederation subject to a single supreme authority. It would seem, therefore, that it is to the powerful impulse throughout the Empire making for voluntary co-operation that we must trust largely not only for an approach to the equitable distribution of defence burdens, but to the solution of the equally knotty problem of giving the Dominions an effective voice in the control of foreign policy. This great problem is in some respects materially modified under the new international order the Allies have set themselves] to establish, notably by the stipulation in the League of Nations Covenant that no treaty henceforth shall be binding until it has been registered with the Secrctary-Gcn-cral of the League for publication. The successful application of this provision would bring all Parliaments, including those of the British Dominions, into far more effective touch than hitherto with international affairs, and incidentally would remove what might at some future time have become a very serious obstacle to effective Imperial co-operation. While it is vital that the United Kingdom and tho Dominions should organise on such lines as will enable them to make common cause 'in the defence of the Empire should it be attacked, this, of course, is only one of a number of directions in which it is possible to co-operate for the advancement of common interests and with a. view to giving strength and permanence to the Imperial tie. Trade, migration, and the concentration of British capital on tho development of Imperial resources, represent so many avenues along which there is aflinost unlimited scope for profitable co-operation between tho Mothor Country and the Dominions. It would be taking an extreme view to maintain that the Empire is incapable of developing prosperously and in growing unity on the lines here suggested unless an Imperial Parliament is established. The much more modest alternative offers itself meantime of establishing on a settled basis the Ministerial representation of the Dominions in London which was,adopted as an emergency expedient during the war, and its results exceeded expectations. The promise of such an arrangement as a- means of bringing the different sections of tho Empire into effective touch, whether in regard to_ matters of foreign policy, or questions of inter-Imperial development, is greatly heightened by tho progress that is now being made in aviation and other forms of rapid transport. Even with the time of passage between distant portions of the -Empire reduced as much as it is likely to be In the near future, a system of Ministerial representation of the Dominions would retain obvious limitations and shortcomings. But within iU limitations it would represent a practical forward step towards more effective Imperial organisation, andno cut and dried scheme 'of organic federation has yet been outlined of which it is possible to say as much.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190723.2.20

Bibliographic details
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 255, 23 July 1919, Page 6

Word count
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1,297

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1919. ORGANISING THE EMPIRE Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 255, 23 July 1919, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1919. ORGANISING THE EMPIRE Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 255, 23 July 1919, Page 6

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