PRACTICAL IMPERIALISM.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 380, 22 July 1911, Page 5

PRACTICAL IMPERIALISM.

The last number of "T.P.'3 Magazine" contains an article by Sir Joseph Ward on "Practical Imperialism," the theme being the assertion that the most important factors in the march of progress are facilities for business and social intercourse. The chief aim of the progressive State, says New Zealand's Prime Minister, should be the cheapening and accelerating of all means of communication. Sir Joseph remarks that tin late Mr Cecil Rhodc3 clearly saw the benefits the Empire would derive from bringing its more brilliant sons together at one of the world's greatest seats of learning. The influence of the Rhodes scholars must make for a better feeding and a more intimate understanding, not only throughout the Empire but throughout the world, ar.rl the natural corollary to the Rhodes scheme is Mr P. A. Vaile's plan of "Imperial scholarships." "Mr Rhodes' scheme may be called centripetal," writes Sir Joseph; "Mr Vaile's conception is both centrifugal and centripetal. The first gathers the scholars at a centre in England; the other distributes them from the great centre, London, throughout the Empire throughout the world, in fact —and then draws back from their knowledge and later the scholars themselves, for the benefit of England and the Empire. Mr Vaile's plan of conferring scholarships on condition that the holder should proceed to specified portions of the British Empire, there to study on the spot the special laws, the social experiments, the institutions and voluntary associations . seems to me to be a scheme likely to be especially efficacious for securing that better Imperial understanding which I have already emphasised as the true ba."is of national solidarity and unity. Sir Joseph is supported in his endorsement of Mr Vaile's pronosals by several men of eminence, including Lord Milner and Mr F. E. Smith, who is coming to be known as the hope of the Conservative party in Britain. No one has attempted, however, to show how the very large sum of money required is to be secured without the assistance of another millionaire.