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ADELAIDE:
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1926.
THE EMPIRE 'AT THE CROSS
ROADS.'
Mr. Bruce's claims to be considered a
statesman of vision, courage and sin
cerity, are never more apparent than
when he is discussing Imperial topics.
In domestic politics he may occasionally
blunder through inexperience, or be led
into error by associates less disinte
rested or less moderate than himself;
but in Empire affairs his instinct is
sound and true, his speeches rise to an
exalted plane, and his policies bear
he imprint of a statesmanship at once
elevated and practical. When it is said
that his Empire instinct is sound, it is
not suggested that the Prime Minister
is content to enunciate the tenets of a
nerely conventional patriotism, or of a
strictly orthodox Imperialism. He is
ilive to the changes constantly being
s-orked in the 'British Commonwealth'1
jy the developing aspirations and ideala
-f 'young nations newly come to a con
sciousness of their own strength,' but
lie adheres tenaciously to the principle
3f the essential unity of the Empire—
to the conception of the Empire &s a
zigantic, beneficent, and impregnable
partnership. And, as every thinking
Australian must be. he is acutely aware
of the vital importance to this country,
Economically and defensively, of the
maintenance . of the connection with
Great Britain. Mr. Bruce finds no dif
ficulty in reconciling the claims of tho
Commonwealth and its sister Dominions
to the recognition of their nationhood
with the preservation of the Empire as
a unit in international affairs, and he
well states the aim of Australia in Im
perial relations as 'a closer linking to
gether of the self-governing portions oi
the Empire, with as full a recognition of
the independent status of the self
governing parts as is compatible with
the recognition of our universal British
nationality.'
The Prime Minister's speech on the
agenda of the Imperial Conference yes
terday was in his best, style. His ex
position of what - is locj'aly called the
'new status of the' Dominions' was
lucid and convincing, and he treated thG
House to a master^ analysis of the im
plications -of tha. international indepen
dence' which .impressed for in some
quarters in behalf of the Dominions.
Mr. Bruce discerns in this claim the be
ginnings of a separatist * movement
which, if persisted in, must eventually
lead to the break-up of the Empire.
'Could any one;'^ he asked, 'maintain
that the preservation of genuine Impe
rial unity was compatible with the pos
sibility of one part of the Empire stand
ing aside when the rest was engaged in
* lifp-nnrl-rleath strmrele? If such a
possibility was not contemplated by the
new proposals, then he failed to see
what was contemplated; and if that waa
the position which the advocates of
change had in mind, then it meant the
disintegration of the Empire, and Aus
tralia could have no part in it.'' Per
haps it is possible to make too much of
the movement, if movement it can be
called, towards 'international indepen
dence.' The possibility of one por
tion of the Empire remaining neutral
while the rest fights for its life, is so re
mote as to be hardly worth envisaging.
Although the more 'advanced'' Do
minions may coquet with the idea of in
dependence, such theorizings would do
instantly forgotten in the moment ,? of
danger, and British communities every
where would rally, as they rallied in
1914, to the support of an imperilled
Motherland. There was sound sense in
the remark of Lord Balfour in thp
House of Lords last week, that little was
to be gained by discussing and defininc
the degree of responsibility of each
British Sti\te to the others. 'He would
say that this country was bound to go
to war to defend any part of the Em
pire which might be endangered. He
Dersonally thought that the duties of
other parts of the Empire to Great Bri
tain were not less than were her duties
to them; but. in regard to the particu
lar conditions under which that great
duty sliould be exercised, nothing would
be gained by inventing hard cases be
forehand.' The genius of the British
Empire does'not lie in written guaran
tees and paper .constitutions. The less
the Imperial Conference troubles itself
with definitions of status, and the more
vigorously it sets about the practical
tasks of developing and strengthening
the Empire, the better it will be for ali
concerned.
There was no more interesting point
in Mr. Bruce's speech than his. reference!
to the success which had attended the
experiment in Empire consultation on
foreign affairs inaugurated by his
Government several years ago. The
machinery, consisting of- a liaison secre
tariat in London, is 'working excel
lently,'' and the Prime Minister of Aus
tralia, if he so desires, can keep himseif
better informed of developments in
foreign policy than the average British
Cabinet Minister! While the Empire
was lamenting the obstacles in the wav
of constant consultation. Mr. Bruce
quietly instituted a system which has
since served all reasonable requirements
Consultation, however, ' carries with it
liabilities- as well as privileges. It .is
now disclosed that the Bruce Govern
ment was fully advised and tacitly ap
proved of the negotiations which led to
the signing of the Locarno Treaty, thus
virtually committing Australia in ad
vance to the endorsement of the pact.
Mr. Bruce indicated very cleaTly the
awkward position in which Australia
and the other dominions find them
selves in relation to the agreement, from
which they ' have been specifically ex
3luded until they elect to assume the
sbligations. Although they may da
jide^, not* to^sj^ti, their, membership °f.
:he; 'Empire woiifd mvolve'-them 'in any
Tar undertaken by Great Britain in
ulfilment of her guarantees. The Prime
Minister is convineed that Australia
ihould join the Mother Country in the
jffort at European stabilization, but ho
:an hardly expect to arouse any en
husiasm in the_House or the country
or participation in a pact pledging the
Commonwealth, in certain eventualities,
;o engage in a war on the other side o!
,he world. Australians are naturally
nore interested in the provision being
nade for the protection of this conti
lent, and Mr. Brace's statements on
:his head were not altogether satisfac
:ory. The table showing the relative
Jefence expenditures of Britain and the
Dominions is enlightening, but nothing
practical is to be gained by researches
into 'the lore of nicely calculated less
sr more' in regard to defence. Each
Dominion is disposed to base its pre
:autionary measures on the amount of
?isk which it runs, and it is useless to
;xpect Canada, sheltering under the
ring of the American eagle, to spend
is much on defence as this isolated
Commonwealth. No neglect on the
part of other Dominions can justify
Australia in relaxing its national safe
guards, and, notwithstanding the naval
programme upon which the Government
has embarked, Mr. Bruce ought to an
jounce at the Imperial Conference that
Australia is ready to make a handsome
contribution to the cost of the Singa
pore Base.
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