30 MAY 1925, Page 15

THE REAL LINK OF EMPIRE

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sm,—In a footnote to the article " The Future of Canada " in the issue of May 16th, you observe in regard to Independence : " an unequivocal declaration of Canadian opinion would never be resisted here." Having read this article, I happened immediately to pick up Lord Coleridge's book This for Remem- brance (reviewed inthe same issue) and there read (pp. 240-245) the speech delivered as Treasurer of the Middle Temple on the occasion of the call to the Bar and Bench of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, July 2nd, 1919. Speaking of the con- stituent parts of the Empire he said :-

" The Crown is the one institution which, standing aloof from parties, neither gains nor loses from their rise and fall. The fact that no united demand for severance would be resisted proves that no power is sought to be enforced upon unwilling peoples. Were it otherwise, the link of the Crown with the Dominions would be mere gossamer, which a puff of discontent would blow away. As it is, tho Crown, without detracting from the dignity and inde- pendence of the part, gives strength and unity to the whole."

Whilst your footnote does not call for comment, I thought the extract might interest you, if you had not already seen it, as the occasion was so interesting.—I am, Sir, &c., Springfield Hall, Lancaster. THOS. W. REUSE.