Responsible government in the Dominions: Responsible government in the Dominions

Responsible government in the Dominions (Vol. 3)

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Multivolume work

Identifikator:: 1896933912

Document type:: Multivolume work

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Press

Year of publication:: 1912-

Collection:: Economics Books

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Volume

Identifikator:: 1896935311

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-237672

Document type:: Volume

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Volume count:: Vol. 3

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Pr.

Year of publication:: 1912

Scope:: XII Seiten, Seiten 1102-1670

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part V. Imperial control over Dominion administration and legislation

Collection:: Economics Books

1156 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [PART V 21. Tt must not be forgotten that this is a subject in which the interests of the Colonies and of the Mother Country are identical. British statesmen have long aimed not only to limit more and more the expenditure incurred for the defence of distant Colonies, but to withdraw more and more from all ostensible responsibility for their defence ; and they would probably see any honourable method of adjusting the present anomalous relations with no less satisfaction than we should. 22. Nor would the recognition of the neutrality of the self- governed Colonies deprive them of the power of aiding the Mother Country in any just and necessary war. On the contrary, it would enable them to aid her with more dignity and effect, as a Sovereign State could, of its own free will, and at whatever period it thought proper, elect to become a party to the war. 23. We are of opinion that this subject ought to be brought under the notice of the Imperial Government. If the proposal should receive their sanction, they can ascertain the wishes of the American and African Colonies with respect to it, and finally take the necessary measures to obtain its recogni- tion as part of the public law of the civilized world. Comment at the time was generally unfavourable; the leading papers, such as the Argus and the Daily Telegraph, condemned the idea as impracticable, and the matter went no further, for no other Colony moved in it. In the Naval Bill debates of 1910 Sir Wilfrid Laurier was accused by the Opposition of denying the doctrine that war with Great Britain meant war with the Colonies, but the accusation was wholly unjust and unfounded. He only asserted that in any war it was for Canada to decide how far she would actively assist Great Britain; Canada, of course, would resist any attack on herself with all her strength! The doctrine is quite logical and fair so long as the Dominions * Cf. House of Commons Debates, 1909-10, pp. 1732 seq., 2952 seq., 4139 seq.; 4316 seq., 4413 seq., 7528 seq.; 1910-1, pp. 57 seq. ; his speech at Montreal, October 10 ; Montreal Herald, October 11, 1910. See also Ewart, Kingdom of Canada, pp. 59,364; The Kingdom Papers, pp. 7, 8, 48-52 ; Parl. Pap., Cd. 5745, p. 117 ; below, Part VIII, chap. iii. Here may be men- tioned the precarious position of the arrangement of 1817 for the limitation of armaments on the great lakes, which has not been at all carefully observed of late by the United States, in the view of Canada ; see Canadian Annual Review, 1909, p. 626; 1910, p. 618; The Round Table, i. 317-9.

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