THE QUEER BRITISH EMPIRE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 724, 25 November 1914, Page 2

THE QUEER BRITISH EMPIRE.

The Chicago Herald psints out the "queer" condition of the British Empire in a graphic way:— >4 What a queer, queer thing the British Empire is, when you come to think of it! In ordinary times you would naturally judge from the way Ireland arid the Dominions and colonics talk about Great Britain that the poor Old Country didn't have a friend on earth. In ordinary times some part of the British Empire is always berating the Home Government.

| In times of peace everybody feela at liberty to assume a possible revolution in India, separation of the Dominions, and all sorts of other disastrous things.

, In times of peace the Empire ia always more or less "doomed," according to the statements of many gloomladen British subjects; But in time of war how suddenly things look up in that queer, queer British Empire. "I haven't a thing to take back," stances kindly show me the enemy as soon as possible. I want to get at him." "Yours of recent data received," saya Canada. "Am sending men as fast aa they can be gotten away and transportation secured." "Reserving for a more auspicious time any hatred a part of our population bears lo England," says South Africa. "We are prepared to do cur utmost in the present war."' "Serious local dissatisfaction will arise, sahib, unless Indians are permitted to give their lives for the honourable Empire now that it is at war with a foreign nation," sayQ India.

It's everywhere the same story. In peace it's "Confound your stupid, unreasonable, fat-headed, doomed arrogant soul!" In time of need it's "Count on us to the limit." Which is why we 3ay that the British Empire is a queer, queer institution.