{"id":3869,"date":"1944-06-01T01:00:00","date_gmt":"1944-06-01T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/about-us\/history\/letter\/june-1944-vol-25-no-6\/"},"modified":"2023-12-04T14:55:51","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T14:55:51","slug":"june-1944-vol-25-no-6","status":"publish","type":"rbc_letter","link":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/about-us\/history\/letter\/june-1944-vol-25-no-6\/","title":{"rendered":"June 1944 &#8211; Vol. 25, No. 6 &#8211; British Empire"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"layout-column-main\">\n<p class=\"boldtext\">The British Crown encircles not only the                     ancient glories of a particular people, but the hope and promise                     of a broadening life for hundreds of millions of others.<\/p>\n<p> (<em>This is Part 2 of a discussion of the British Empire.                     Last month&#8217;s Letter dealt with the Dominions, the position                     of the Crown, and the general philosophy of the Empire<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<p>An American, Henry J. Taylor, has just published a book,                     &#8220;Man in Motion&#8221;, in which he refers to the British Empire                     in this way: &#8220;Considering its scope, the British Commonwealth                     of Nations is the most remarkable political achievement in                     history. It has overcome more tyranny, supplied more safety,                     removed more fear, taught more justice, and given more freedom                     to more people than any other institution on earth. It is                     not only worth preserving, in the interests of free men, but                     unless Britain preserves her so-called Empire there will                     be no freedom for millions upon millions who are now as free                     as they can safely be&#8230;Talking about colonial freedom is                     one thing. Supplying it is quite another. Furthermore, 80                     per cent of the colonials of the world could not, or would                     not, use their freedom to maintain freedom. Eighty per cent                     of the world&#8217;s people simply are not ready for what we are                     talking about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>The Colonies<\/h3>\n<p>Colonial administration is a tremendous task. Ignoring the                     Japanese occupation of many of them, there are 40 units in                     the British colonies, averaging 47,000 square miles. To govern                     them has required the setting up of a Colonial Office, with                     the Secretary of State for the Colonies a member of the Cabinet.                     In each colony and protectorate there is a governor who is                     the direct representative of the King. On the civil service                     staff of the Colonial Office are men with special knowledge                     of each colony.<\/p>\n<p>Most British colonies were established by private enterprise,                     and not by government action. They were all equipped with                     representative bodies having control over legislation and                     taxation, though the executive power was held in most cases                     by nominees of the Crown. Virginia, the earliest English colony                     on this continent, was only 14 years old before it established                     a representative assembly, the first representative body which                     ever existed outside Europe. This precedent was followed in                     every subsequent colony with encouragement of the home authorities.<\/p>\n<p>The liberality of the British system is best understood                     in contrast with, say, the French, who employ direct rule,                     insist on French as the sole language of education, and try                     to assimilate the native population to the French way of life.                     The British, on the other hand, encourage indirect rule, use                     vernacular languages in the early stages of education, and                     encourage continuance of the native arts, culture and special                     qualities. The colonies of Britain are all travelling at different                     speeds, according to their capabilities, along the road toward                     complete and final self-government. Britain mainly derives                     benefit from her colonies through the provision of opportunities                     for young men in the colonial administrative service, and                     through the opportunities offered to traders and developers,                     such as engineers. Taxes raised in a colony are spent in that                     territory, and the United Kingdom supplements local revenue                     with contributions from its own exchequer, raised by taxes                     on the people of Britain. The complete fallacy of the loosely-made                     charges that Britain owns and exploits the colonies is demonstrated                     by the answer that Britain draws no tribute whatever from                     them; she enjoys no trading monopoly in them: she enlists                     from them no fighting forces, beyond what are necessary for                     defence and police purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Two questions are asked as a part of British development                     of a territory: (1) how can this area be developed so as to                     make its resources available to the rest of the world? (2)                     how can we raise the standard of living of the local people,                     and so enable them to play their part as markets for the produce                     of other areas? It is true that Great Britain gives preferences                     to, and receives preferences from, her colonies, but the absurdity                     of a theory that there should be any monopoly of colonial                     products is easily demonstrated. People in the colonies are                     principally engaged in the production of primary commodities,                     partly agricultural and partly mineral. Productive capacity                     of these raw materials is growing throughout the world, with                     a tendency for the supply to exceed the demand. It is essential,                     therefore, for countries with colonial raw materials to widen                     their markets, selling to all-comers, and not to conserve                     them jealously for their own use. Consequently, countries                     in the Empire are encouraged to seek markets.<\/p>\n<h3>Internationalization<\/h3>\n<p>A statement of policy made in the House of Commons last                     summer rejected the suggestion of internationalization of                     administration of the colonies, while at the same time welcoming                     the establishment in certain areas of permanent international                     commissions made up of all states with major strategic or                     economic interests in those areas. These commissions, with                     representatives of the territories themselves, would consult                     on matters affecting security, transport, economics and social                     welfare. There are several reasons why international administration                     would not be satisfactory. The difficulties of administration                     in backward countries are great enough even with staffs made                     up of persons of one nation. Lack of experience in handling                     native problems might cause not only a slowing-up of                     development but even a dangerous recession. Moreover, many                     of the colonies are highly developed politically, and are                     definitely hostile to any form of internationalization. Great                     Britain governs her colonial territories as a solemn trust,                     and is in honour bound not to trifle with the loyalty of the                     colonial peoples as if it were something that can be traded                     in.<\/p>\n<p>From a world-wide viewpoint there are two considerations                     about colonization. Colonial peoples must be safeguarded against                     misgovernment and exploitation, and helped to move forward                     until they are fit to take their place in advanced civilization.                     The second point is that all civilized peoples must have fair                     and equal access to the resources of these regions, with opportunity                     to share in their development.<\/p>\n<p>To further the advancement of backward people, there is                     needed an intensified effort to improve health, education                     and cultural development, and this must be done in such a                     way as to graft western world techniques and ideas on the                     native base without disrupting native life. The interrelation                     of economic and social factors cannot be overstated, and the                     Colonial Office is steadily progressing in bringing them together                     into harmonious co-operation. Much stress as being laid                     upon health, as the basis of all social advancement, but progress                     is held back by native ignorance, prejudice and superstition,                     and by climatic environment. A Blue Book on colonial matters                     issued in 1939 contains an inspiring hundred pages about progress                     in social services and development.<\/p>\n<h3>Empire Governments<\/h3>\n<p>It is impossible to obtain an idea of individual Empire                     governments by studying them in alphabetical or geographical                     order. Read that way, they seem to spell utter confusion.                     They run all the way from the South Atlantic Island of Ascension,                     which was governed by the Navy as a ship until 1922, to Eire,                     with its constitution of 1937, which calls itself a &#8220;sovereign                     independent state&#8221;. But all these forms of government, arranged                     in ascending order of relative local self-government,                     present a symmetrical series: at the top are the self-governing                     dominions; at the bottom are such outposts as the Friendly,                     or Tonga Islands, about 380 square miles in extent, which                     form a sovereign state under British protection. They have                     a queen, who is advised by a parliament. The 27,000 natives                     are not British subjects, but Tonga declared war on Germany                     in 1939. It is an example in miniature of the self-government                     sought for each section of the Empire, as a step toward the                     most complete autonomy.<\/p>\n<p>Those charged with direction of the Empire believe their                     supreme duty to be the preparation for freedom of races which                     cannot as yet govern themselves, and thinking people believe                     this to be the spiritual end for which the Commonwealth exists.                     An American Ambassador called the British Empire &#8220;a school                     of government that inevitably leads to self-government.&#8221;                     The policy is first to train the backward peoples in the management                     of local affairs by. delegating authority to village and tribal                     organizations, and gradually to widen this scope. The British                     are exceedingly practical. The question in mind when a proposition                     comes up is, &#8220;Will it work?&#8221;. They have not become carried                     away by theories of government which, however applicable to                     certain peoples at certain steps of development, may be wholly                     inapplicable to others at other stages. The form of government                     must be adapted to the conditions, needs and degrees of political                     development of each territory. As a result, the British Commonwealth                     remains faithful to ideas of government founded in responsibility,                     while many parliamentary institutions planted in unprepared                     soil are fast disappearing.<\/p>\n<p>A striking problem arising out of the curious nature of                     the association of countries in the Empire is that of immigration                     and national status. There is a British subjecthood shared                     by all citizens of the Empire, distinguished from the purely                     national citizenship granted to them by the particular member-countries                     to which they belong. The Dominions are tending to make local                     status the basis of rights and duties, and to regard the common                     status as implying merely the consequences of common allegiance                     to the sovereign, consequences which may be maximized or minimized                     in law at the discretion of dominion legislatures. British                     subjects going from one part of the Commonwealth to another                     find themselves with rights less than those of local citizens                     but greater than those of aliens. This is not important in                     law, but it has great importance in sentiment, and some Empire                     countries would have difficulty in persuading their people                     to give up the title &#8220;British subject&#8221; even though offered                     identical rights and duties under another name. The problems                     arising out of immigration are not so likely to be as pressing                     in the immediate future as they were at times in the past.                     There has been no great migration from one part of the overseas                     empire to another, and migration from the United Kingdom has                     fallen to a mere trickle. Britain has become, on balance,                     an immigrant country since 1930, and, as pointed out in our                     Letter in January, it is no longer a source of population                     for overseas countries.<\/p>\n<h3>Empire Resources<\/h3>\n<p>The British Empire is occasionally referred to by orators                     as having an abundance of every raw material, but in fact                     the United Kingdom and her dependencies (omitting the self-governing                     dominions and India) have a net deficiency of every important                     foodstuff except fresh milk, tropical fruits, vegetable oils,                     cocoa, tea and coffee. If the dominions&#8217; and India&#8217;s supplies                     be added, there is an exportable surplus of wheat, and self-sufficiency                     in rye, rice and potatoes. Even so, it is partly dependent                     on foreign sources for maize, beef, pork, bacon, mutton, butter,                     cheese and sugar. The United Kingdom and the dependent empire                     have exportable surpluses of tin, manganese, coal, rubber                     and graphite, and are about self-sufficient in bauxite,                     vanadium, phosphates, sisal and vegetable oils. If the dominions                     and India are brought in, the following are added to the list                     of raw materials of which there is an exportable surplus:                     lead, nickel, chromium, vanadium, asbestos, platinum, wool,                     jute and vegetable oils, and there is self-sufficiency                     in iron, copper, zinc, tungsten, magnesite, phosphates, and                     timber. The whole Empire remains partly dependent on outside                     sources for sulphur and cotton, and largely dependent on outside                     sources for molybdenum, antimony, petroleum, potash, mercury,                     silk, flax, hemp and manilla. It is readily apparent that                     the Empire could have no serious policy of building self-sufficiency.<\/p>\n<h3>World Trade<\/h3>\n<p>Instead, the Empire seeks world-wide trade. Britain                     it was who proved that two merchants of different countries                     trading together will both become rich, and each makes the                     balance in his own favour, so they do not get rich out of                     each other. Britain also found that business in staples is                     safer than in so-called fancies, such as those produced                     by Japan, because demand for the latter may vanish at any                     time. She found, too, the potency of a brand new want. There                     was no demand for tobacco in the England of Raleigh&#8217;s time,                     because tobacco was unknown: then it was introduced and almost                     immediately became a want: today it is nearer a necessity.                     One generation acquires 50 wants, and invents 50 ways of satisfying                     them, but each in turn engenders two new wants. Britain&#8217;s                     inventive genius and her large-scale industries with                     their specialized products have put a new premium on wide                     markets. By 1870 Britain&#8217;s trade was $530 million more than                     the trade of France and America combined, but such a commanding                     position could not be maintained in the face of the rapid                     industrialization of every other modern state. In 1890 her                     lead was only $40 million, and at the outbreak of war in 1914                     the combined trade of France, the United States, Germany and                     Japan was more than double that of Britain. Outside Britain,                     the trade of the Empire grew from $230 million in 1810 to                     $10,805 million in 1926. In 1810 all save a negligible amount                     was with Britain; by 1926 only $3,326 million was with Britain,                     roughly one-third, and in 1938, $2,900 million.<\/p>\n<p>Before this war, the British Empire was transacting about                     28 per cent of the total trade of the world, a decrease from                     the 36 per cent of 1914. Those who picture the Empire as a                     closed trading monopoly will find this table illuminating:<\/p>\n<table width=\"415\" border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"smltabletxt\">\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">UNITED KINGDOM<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" colspan=\"4\" align=\"center\">PROPORTION                         OF TRADE WITH:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">British Empire<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">United States<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">Other Countries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\"><em>Per cent<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">Imports from:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">1913<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">24.9<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">18.4<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">56.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">1938<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">40.4<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">12.8<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">46.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">Domestic Exports to:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">1913<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">32.9<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">9.4<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">57.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">1938<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">49.9<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">4.3<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" align=\"right\">45.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>In the last full year before the war, Canada imported $425                     million worth of goods from the United States and $186 million                     worth from the British Empire, while she exported $346 million                     worth of goods to the United States and $443 million worth                     to the Empire.<\/p>\n<h3>The Ottawa Agreements<\/h3>\n<p>Britain doubtless gained on throwing open her markets to                     the whole world in 1846, when she invited other European nations                     to co-operate in the development of vast lands, to send                     settlers to live in freedom under the British flag, and to                     increase the trade of these lands with the rest of the world.                     There were many intermediate steps between that situation                     and the Ottawa Conference in 1932, but all were logical. There                     was a conflict between the political and economic motives                     for economic co-operation. Fears were driving, and wants                     leading. The world depression pushed the Empire countries                     toward a defensive policy. The objective was, in part, to                     re-establish reasonable prices for the primary products                     on which the Dominions were so largely dependent, but there                     were external political as well as economic repercussions.                     There is no evidence of the establishment of an economic bloc,                     though much of the outside world believed that such a bloc                     was in the making, and the ill-will and retaliation thus                     engendered added to the difficulty of an already tense international                     situation. Because the Ottawa Agreements have been cited recently                     as one of the causes leading to war, it is well to examine                     their true significance. In the first place, why should there                     not be special economic arrangements among the countries of                     the Commonwealth? It is a political organization, loose as                     we have seen, but nevertheless real. It is valuable as a means                     of preserving peace and order among its members and as a contribution                     toward peace and order in the world. If that organization                     could be strengthened by economic or other ties, that would                     be of value to the whole world. This was especially true in                     an era when other countries were trying by all means in their                     power to render themselves self-sufficient, largely from                     political motives. They abandoned economics in favor of preparing                     themselves for aggression. There was, as evidenced by breakdown                     of the World Economic Conference, no chance of success in                     a frontal attack, so this community of nations decided to                     take positive action which might be an example to the world.                     It was the decision of the conference, expressed in its final                     resolution, that &#8220;by the lowering or removal of barriers among                     themselves the flow of trade between the various countries                     of the Empire will be facilitated, and that by the consequent                     increase of the purchasing power of their peoples the trade                     of the world will also be stimulated or increased.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>Defence<\/h3>\n<p>Jurisdiction in defence matters is no more clear-cut                     than in economic questions. The basic principles of the defence                     of the Empire are: each part shall provide, as far as it is                     able, for its own defence, and its forces shall take part                     in the common defence of the commonwealth when and to the                     extent its government and legislature so decide. This great                     Empire was not built up by, nor does it depend upon, the use                     of military power. No large forces are needed to keep it in                     subjection. Except in time of war, when armies have to be                     hastily improvised, the military forces of the Empire are                     less than those of some European states of second rank. And,                     be it noted, when the existence of this Empire is threatened,                     as in the last war and in this, its subjects do not seize                     the opportunity to revolt, but make generous and spontaneous                     sacrifices for its defence.<\/p>\n<p>The British Empire has more to lose and less to gain from                     war than any human organization ever formed. It seeks above                     all the peaceful conduct of world trade, and the steady development                     of colonies. For Britain this war is not a question of conquest                     of territory, or of the rectification of frontiers, but defence                     of a whole conception of life and of government. And what                     organization on a world scale could have been tested as searchingly                     in its inner loyalties, and so triumphed in the test, as the                     Empire in 1940? From the greatest and the smallest, from the                     strongest and the weakest, from the most advanced and the                     most simple, there flowed into London assurances that Empire                     countries would go down or come through together. The fact                     that they are coming through together is one of the facts                     that matter most in world politics.<\/p>\n<h3>After the War<\/h3>\n<p>When the war is won, what part will this Empire play in                     the world? The exhaustion and paralysis of certain sections                     are so great that restoration must be a slow process and-will                     be extremely difficult. Britain has declared her willingness                     and eagerness to participate with like-minded nations                     in an effort to help build in the world a security it has                     not heretofore known, and this spirit was confirmed at the                     recent conference in London. Perhaps UNRRA is a step toward                     this objective, as the first international sharing of a major                     task with post-war implications. The signatories to that                     agreement are bound to work for rehabilitation of peoples                     occupying distressed countries. It is a new conception of                     co-operation of all the free world for the good of all                     mankind. And yet, is it so new? The British Empire, after                     much experiment, adopted this method of mutual co-operation                     to solve its problems, and proved that difficulties can be                     solved by discussion where they certainly could never have                     been settled by force. All parts of the commonwealth have                     accepted the principles of the collective system for regulation                     of international relations. The British Empire now assures                     justice and liberty to one-fourth of the world&#8217;s population,                     and would, if it could, bring them peace and contentment also.<\/p>\n<p>Since August 1942 Canada has been providing 15,000 tons                     of cereals a month to Greece, and a representative of the                     Red Cross who was in charge of administration of relief in                     that country said these free gifts represent the difference                     between starvation and survival for half the population of                     Greece. The goodwill engendered by such acts is being extended                     through UNRRA. The President of this bank said last January:                     &#8220;I personally believe that large outright gifts of food, raw                     material, finished goods and machinery to backward and devastated                     countries will in the long run, and even from the most selfish                     point of view, not only contribute most to human welfare,                     but both in the short and long run be in the best interests                     of those nations which can afford to make the gifts.&#8221; Out                     of such co-operation may grow a new conception of world                     affairs, in which even the least idealistic nations may be                     compelled to take their place, seeking world welfare rather                     than individual aggrandisement.<\/p>\n<p>Foremost among collaborators must, in the nature of things,                     be the British Empire and the United States. The community                     of friendship between these two world organizations is founded                     upon community of language, ideas and ideals. It is a good                     thing to concentrate upon points of agreement, of which there                     are many more than points of difference. It is, said Prime                     Minister Churchill in April, practical to aspire to a closer                     functional unity within the Empire while at the same time                     retaining association with the United States and others. &#8220;I                     have never conceived that fraternal association with the United                     States would militate in any way against the unity of the                     British Commonwealth and Empire,&#8221; he said, &#8220;or breed ill-feeling                     with our great Russian ally with whom we are bound by a 20-years                     treaty.&#8221; On another occasion Mr. Churchill declared the Empire                     seeks no narrow or selfish combination. &#8220;The tremendous and                     awe-inspiring fact stares the British and American democracies                     between the eyes, that acting together we can help all nations                     safely into harbour, and that, if we divide, all will toss                     and drift for a long time on dark and stormy seas.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This war is not likely to end in the dominance of a supreme                     state or a group of supreme states. The experience of the                     Empire, detailed earlier in this Letter, indicates the futility                     of such a plan. Progress for individual states, and for the                     world, will result from more intimate collaboration. To this                     the prime ministers of the dominions, and the prime minister                     of the United Kingdom, have pledged their support. The Empire                     they represent is far from perfect, but it is being constantly                     improved because of the criticism of its own people through                     their press, parliaments and institutions. Throughout all                     its affairs blows the cleansing wind of democracy, based on                     freedom of speech, of religion, of the press, and of association.                     These are the fundamentals of the British Empire way of life.                     The members of the Empire have faced every question affecting                     race, religion and status, and by long experience the Empire&#8217;s                     statesmen have acquired both the habit and spirit of toleration                     and just treatment.<\/p>\n<p>These are some of the reasons why the Empire stands. As                     Churchill phrased it: &#8220;How are all these communities and races                     joined together? Why is it they wend their way along the stony                     uphill road in company? There is only one answer to that:                     it is because they want to. In fact, they want to very much.                     If it were not so, there is no means to compel them. But they                     want to. They want to not only in the piping times of peace,                     but even more closely they draw together in the most horrible                     shocks and agonies of war.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":79,"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[1],"rbc_letter_theme":[],"rbc_letter_year":[24],"class_list":["post-3869","rbc_letter","type-rbc_letter","status-publish","hentry","category-uncategorized","rbc_letter_year-24"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>June 1944 - Vol. 25, No. 6 - British Empire - RBC<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/about-us\/history\/letter\/june-1944-vol-25-no-6\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"June 1944 - Vol. 25, No. 6 - British Empire - RBC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The British Crown encircles not only the ancient glories of a particular people, but the hope and promise of a broadening life for hundreds of millions of others. 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(This is Part 2 of a discussion of the British Empire. 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