BRITISH-AMERICAN CO-OPERATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 44, 15 November 1940, Page 6

BRITISH-AMERICAN CO-OPERATION

Powerful Bonds Already

MOVEMENT INVITES ASSISTANCE

An invitation to various societies to assist the British-Amerieau Co-opera-tion Movement was given by Mr. C. H. Weston. K.C., its president, at a luncheon which th? movement held in Wellington yesterday. Saying that time was short and much l.ad to be done, Mr. Weston asked that they form Brit-ish-American co-operation sub-commit-tees in their societies and call general meetings to explain the movement’s aims and ideals to their members.

"Co-operation between two huge groups of States seems at first sight a complicated and difficult task,” said Mr. Weston, "but an analysis of the situation leads to unexpected and startling conclusions. The thought that suggests itself most easily is that if we could achieve the same co-operation as exists between members of the British Commonwealth we could not invite or expect more. We exclude consideration of the Crown Colonies, India and the mandated territories. "On what does that co-operation rest? Naturally the first question asked is what are the binding obligations between the United Kingdom and ourselves, or some of us. They are, a common King, defence In some cases, the decisions of our Courts being subject to appeal to Privy Council, and the rules of Rugby football. To one’s surprise those four things seem to exhaust the list.

"But the indisputable fact is there that we are our own masters—we are absolutely Independent. We have our own religions, our own legislative systems and our own rules of racing. No one can say yea or nay to the other. People will say wc are bound to each other by trade and commerce, but they do not bind—they are utterly and entirely. selfish. Only a few years ago New Zealand, the most sentimental of all the Dominions, when the United Kingdom refused her bulk purchasing scheme promptly turned her eyes to Ireland, Germany and Russia.

“Neither does sentiment count for much. It is an unruly and uncertain horse. Breeding and race do not count so much as at first appears. We have no common ancestry to speak of. The world is small aud if the pedigree of practically any family is examined a pretty mixed bag is opened. America has a mixed population, but in three generations they, will be, aud in fact are today, Americans with an. American view-point. “Powerful binders between the United States and us are a common language, a common literature and newspapers and a common film industry. But probably the most powerful is the old instinct of self-preservation, the herd instinct. Mutual defence in the end is our steel girdle. In our case mutual defence carries much with it, such as a common love of peace, a common love of freedom and non-aggressiou against others, aud following in its train come mutual confidence, close association, much interlocking in such activities as the manufacture of munitions. It means closer and closer unity. “Let us, therefore, encourage the mutual defence already begun. Let ns create an atmosphere of good will, encourage things that assist mutual understanding, such as the tourist trailic, and urge the appointment of a New Zealand .Minister at Washington. Already the two great federations have gone a long way. Let us do our best to consummate it.” At the invitation of the president, the following guests spoke:—Mr. Perry, M.L.U., who represented the Returned Soldiers’ Association; Mr. A. L. M all, representing the Wellington Chamber of Commerce; Mr. R. Eddy, vice-president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour; Mr. R. A. Glen. representing the English-Speaking Union; Mr. A. A. Cramond, representing lhe Rotary Club ; and Mr. A. P. O’Shea, secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr. O’Shea made a plea for the retention in popular usage of lhe term "British Empire" and deprecated the use of British Common wealth of Nations" as a substitute, which api>eared to be favoured in certain quarters in New Zealand. "British Empire,” lie said, "is a good old term, and one of which nobody need be ashamed. After all. tlie British Empire is the greatest of all democracies and it is a symbol of freedom the world over.”