National Affairs: Empire Interpreters

COMMONWEALTH (British Commonwealth of Nations}

As British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin continued last week his tour of Canada (TIME, Aug. 1, 8), he took occasion at each stop for banqueting and festive entertainment to play the matter-of-fact role of “salesman” or “interpreter” of the British Empire.

In Montreal, Mr. Baldwin prepared to hammer and thrust home his concept of trade unity within the Empire by peeling off his coat and vest before an audience of 800 businessmen, many clad in formal day attire. As his hearers gratefully followed the Prime Minister’s example, he began to speak with vivid power, thus:

“I have not been in Canada long enough to know what you think about Great Britain. But if anybody tells you, or if you read anywhere—no matter by whom it is written—that Great Britain is decadent in any way, that is the biggest mistake in the world today.

“We have our difficulties; I do not minimize them; but . . . there has never been a time when the old country was more quivering with life.

“We are . . . devoting a considerable sum of money every year, a maximum in one year of $5,000,000, to … a new board called the Empire Marketing Board. . . .

“This board works in very close co-operation with the Government of the day and the bulk of the money which it is spending at present is being devoted to a campaign of what you very well understand in the New World as publicity.

“We have enlisted the services of a board of writers and of artists of imagination to aid us in that work. …

“They are trying to create the consciousness of Empire among the people of Great Britain. . . .”

Having thus broadly, as he said, “interpreted” the Empire,Mr. Baldwin went on to make a flat appeal to Canadians to buy British goods.

“Remember,” he said solemnly, “to give the Empire first choice rather than to go anywhere else.

“Remember this too: we in Britain have 40,000,000 of people who are consumers and we are doing an enormous lot of business with you. . . .

“But we can only buy successfully and as we ought to do, if we can sell our goods. . .

“Observers thought that seldom before has a great statesman spoken so frankly and unashamedly in the manner of a shrewd, traveling salesman.

Events of Tour. Prime Minister Baldwin was careful to repeat the general substance of his appeal to Canadians to buy Empire goods whenever he spoke in public last week; but there were other and less stereotyped features of his tour and the simultaneous jaunt* of Edward of Wales and his brother Prince George.

¶ In Ottawa, Edward of Wales dedicated the new Memorial Chamber in the Parliament Building, where the names of 60,000 Canadian War dead are inscribed in a massive volume.

¶ During a state dinner in Ottawa, Edward of Wales made one of his highly infrequent references to the day when he may become king and emperor. Referring to the concept of the British Empire as a group of autonomous communities, all loyal to the Crown, he said:

“To me in particular, as the King’s oldest son, the conception has a special importance, which, in whatever part of the empire I may be, I always try to keep in my mind. The Crown stands above all distinctions of country, race and party, and serves to mark the unity in which all such differences are transcended.

“If some day it should fall to my lot to assume that high responsibility-I trust that I may be found worthy of it.”

¶ Most notable of the tour ceremonies was the dedication of the International Peace Bridge at Buffalo. A bugle sounded, and from the Canadianand U. S. ends of the Peace Bridge dignitaries advanced to the centre. From Canada came Prime Minister Baldwin, the Royal Princes and Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King of the Dominion. Prom the U. S. came Vice President Charles Gates Dawes, Secretary of State Frank Billings Kellogg and Governor Alfred Emanuel Smith of New York State.

At the centre of the bridge they jointly accomplished its dedication, and special radio circuits carried the dedicatory words throughout Canada, the U. S. and even to the British Islands and Australia.

After Edward of Wales, 33, had shaken hands with Mr. Kellogg, 70, he asked:

“I hear you’ve been golfing, Mr. Secretary. How’s your game?”

Came an honest and original answer: “Fine! Fine!”

*Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin were making the same tour as the Princes last week, as far as Calgary, Alberta, where Edward of Wales and his brother George were to remain for some time at his ranch (TIME, Aug. 8).