Dr. Evatt on Imperial Relations
In an article on " The Commonwealth at War" contributed t The Times last Saturday, Dr. Evatt, the Australian Minister f External Affairs, outlines the genesis and growth of the Briti Commonwealth of Nations, and shows that it is now reaching new stage in its history. The Balfour Report emphasised th autonomy and equality in status of the free communities with the British Empire, united by common allegiance to th Crown—a conception of their relationship which governs the Statut of Westminster. But a more positive conception was hinted at the report when it alluded to " free co-operation " ; and it is thj in Dr. Evatt's view, which marks the latest stage in Commonweal evolution, the emphasis now being upon complete co-operation an the creation of a flexible machinery of inter-Imperial governmen The Dominions and the Home Country are not merely " free " ; the are " partners " ; and more even than that—the tie between th is one of " brotherhood and kinship." Dr. Evatt certainly does n mean that the idea of kinship is of recent origin. It was ful present in the last war as in this. At the beginning of this w it led Australia to send her forces to fight with us in many land and there cannot be the least doubt of the intense desire of th country to do far more in the Australian zone of war than has far proved possible. But the instrument of co-operation was ce tainly defective. It has been improved by the setting up of t Pacific War Council at Washington, and by the attendance of accredited representative of Australia at the War Cabinet in Londo The United States at this moment is rendering some of the servic which in other circumstances we should have rendered. B Dr. Evatt undoubtedly knows, and is able to reassure his countryme that the Battle of Australia means as much to us as the Battle Britain meant to Australians. And there is kinship with America t
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