News of the Week
Ottawa II`HE Imperial Conference has had a brief respite from its work since last week, but the business has gone on remarkably quickly. The delegates, Mr. Bennett in particular, are certainly businesslike, and we must recog- nize the advantages of this, although, as we have written before, we dread the notion of an Empire based not on common loyalties, blood and sentiment, but upon bargains and contracts, brittle ties which one side or the other will be constantly anxious to change, which will, always seem to have an unfair effect upon someone, and are contrary to the political or economic views of someone who may one day be the man in power. However, in the present position candour is of great value, and we must not allow the old-fashioned pleasure and pride that we took in the dignity and reticence of the Mother- country to detract from the satisfaction to be gained from the candid statement issued last week by the British Delegation. It should correct many false notions that have been allowed to pass.
