IMPERIAL UNITY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16750, 4 January 1915, Page 6

IMPERIAL UNITY

The suggestion made by the London "Times," and endorsed by the Prime Minister of Australia, that tho Imperial Conference due in the ordinary course of events to take place in London this year should n6t be postponed on account of the war, ia one that will hardly meet with general

true, as "Tho Times" says, that the holding of the Conference would " set the seal of unity of the Empire already so remarkably demonstrated," but wo imagine that nothing is required more than has been produced during the last six months to prove the solidarity of the Empire and its very real unity. One of tho groat compensations of the war has been the remarkablo demonstration referred to appreciatively by the London journal. Tho troublo hns welded together as perhaps nothing else could havo done the component parts of our vast Empire, which havo subordinated all differences to the ono aim of defeating the enemy. An Imperial Conference could not very well increase or omphasiso tho existing spirit, which seems to us to be as complete as it is splendid. Tho present, however, is a time when tho various political problems of tho Empire could scarcely be approached for discussion in the frank, full and dispassionate way that is essential if they are to bo solved. It is not an occasion when such problems present any urgency, either; and it is just possible that the postponment of the Imperial Conference would bo even more useful as an object lesson than to hold it in the existing circumstances. Tho rest of the world would be impressed by the fact that family affairs can wait—that tho peoples of Great Britain and of Greater Britain havo really no questions worth discussing together except the one question of tho war and how to bring it to a favourable termination. Moreover, neither tho statesmen of the Mother Country nor those of the oversea dominions can very well spare time to assemble in London. They are all required in their respective countries, seeing that every step possible is being taken to secure efficiency in the joint prosecution of tho struggle with Germany. The large subject of Empire defence is bound to be ono of the main questions before the next Conference of tho Empire's statesmen, and in this connection the outcome of current events must probably be awaited before a clear grasp of future needs can be obtained. The results of tho war will profoundly influence the naval defence of the Empire, and we anticipate that those results may go some distanco towards solving the problem by removing a menace that has largely governed the situation during recent years. For the present, most happily, tho unity of the Empire is beyond the possibility of doubt, and the Governments may well bo satisfied to put off formal gatherings till a more convenient season, knowing that political relations are perfectly cordial, and confident in the knowledge that tho best way to promote the welfare of the Empire at present is for each constituent part of Greater Britain to devote its energies to giving the greatest possible assistance to the Mother Country in this crisis.