68 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



continent by itself, and perhaps India, a great Asiatic state, shall 

 share political authority on somewhat equal terms ? 



The answer just now, no m.an can give. An informed and 

 influential school of thought is for a federal Parliament which shall 

 have supreme authority, in respect to defence and foreign affairs, 

 over all parts of the Empire, and power to tax for its purposes. This 

 Parliament would be representative of the whole British Empire 

 and in it Australians, Englishmen, Scots, Iiishmen, South Africans, 

 Canadians and one must certainly add East Indians, would sit side 

 by side and meet the problems of the Empire's dignity and safety 

 before the world. I am free to say that the picture drawn by Mr. 

 Lionel Curtis in his Problem of the Commonwealth appeals to my 

 imagination, but I am bound to add that in the immediate future 

 at least our problems will not be solved along these lines. The craving 

 in Canada and in Australia is for a national life as complete as that of 

 Great Britain. The most enlightened opinion in England is in 

 sympathy with this desire. It is clear that all over the Empire this is 

 the problem first to be confronted. Closer organization may come 

 in time, but it is not the problem of the moment. 



When champions of Canadian nationality are asked to state 

 their aims, they are ready with an answer. Canada, they say, should 

 have power to alter its own constitution, as Australia has. The 

 Canadian Parliament should be made definitely and finally sub- 

 ordinate to no other Parliament. It is so in fact now, — it should be 

 made so too in theory. Canada has had no authority or standing 

 beyond the territory of Canada. It should have power to follow its 

 citizens wherever they go with the same full authority that any other 

 state possesses. It should play the chief and not even technically a 

 secondary part in making the treaties commercial and also political 

 which affect primarily the interests of Canada. The British Empire 

 is scattered over every continent. It is, or will be, as much American 

 as it is European. Canada is the chief American state in the Empire, 

 and should sit with other American states in considering matters 

 that make for the well-being of the various peoples in America. Some 

 of the sanest and most conservative opinion in England is in favour 

 of bringing about these and other similar things. Later may come 

 out of these free and equal states some organic union, but, for the 

 moment, the problem is to make them free and equal. I have stated 

 the views of a school of thought which must be reckoned with. That 

 the realization of their views would involve separation from Great 

 Britain, I do not believe. In practice these principles are in almost 

 complete realization at the present time, as far as Canada is con- 

 cerned. But I have observed, especially in the West, a desire to have 



