Collaboration in the British Empire

Abstract

THE Peter Le Neve Foster Lecture on “Empire Relations”, delivered by Viscount Bennett before the Royal Society of Arts on June 3 (J. Roy. Soc. Arts, 90, 613 ; 1942), gives a lucid survey of the development of the relations between the parts of the British Empire from the sixteenth century to the organization of the present Imperial Conference system in 1907, when these conferences became a fixed method of consultation between the self-governing Colonies and Great Britain and one another. Mainly from a constitutional point of view, Lord Bennett gives an account of the further development of the system and its limitations, notably its failure effectively to promote Imperial development on scientific lines. Imperial conferences since 1907 have been concerned with almost every conceivable subject, including communications, patents, development of Empire resources, research, timber reserves, wool production, etc., but while they have afforded an opportunity for representatives of all the nations of the Commonwealth to meet one another and discuss personally Empire problems in the light of their experience and special knowledge of their own communities, they have led to no agreement upon any adequate method for providing continuous consultation on matters of common concern. Urging the need for an earnest effort to make the story of the Empire better known to the youth of Great Britain, Lord Bennett stresses the importance of providing the means for adequate and continuous consultation. This is essential for common action by the Governments of the Empire to attain a common end, and he suggests that a member of each of the Governments of the Overseas Dominions might be resident in London. Regular meetings between the Prime Ministers or representatives of their several Governments, utilizing air transport and with a permanent secretariat, might provide a solution of the problem.