26 JANUARY 1940, Page 15

Let me, however, ask another question which Mr. Curry must

admit cuts to the very root of his whole theory. Most Federal Unionists agree that there must be some central Federal Parliament or Council composed of representatives of all the member States elected by direct popular suffrage. In what proportions are the seats in this Parliament, or upon this Council, to be distributed among the several States? No self-respecting Federal Unionist would admit for a moment that any arbitrary method of allocation (such as the distinction between the Great and the Small Powers) could be adopted. One is thus obliged to allot the seats according either to area or population. Under such a system of allo- cation, France could obtain 41 members, Italy 43 members, Germany 72 mP ,ers, the United States 120 members, India 30o meniners, Great Britain 37 members, Scotland 4 members, Norway 3 members, Australia 2 members, and so on. Is it conceivable that the British people would agree to hand over the decision of peace and war, the control of navies, the administration of colonies, or such economic measures as would directly affect their own unemployment problems, to a Parliament in which they were condemned to be in a perpetual minority? Is it conceivable that Norway or New Zealand would agree to surrender their " independ- ence " to a body on which their representation was far less than t per cent.? To believe such things is surely to indulge in fantasies.

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