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Curtis put his faith in a political solution, Milner and Amery both Within the movement, Leo Amery opposed Curtis's proposals, believed that economic unity was the key to establishing an arguing that it would be "constitutional hari-kari" [sic] to sacrifice imperial federation. For Milner, this meant complete free trade the British system of government in order to establish an imperial amongst its members but with a common tariff against the rest of | union based on the US federal system. He also regarded as an the world that would bind Britain and its dominions more closely illusion, if not a delusion, Curtis's belief that the political together. federation of the British Empire would Amery took a similar view, believing inevitably lead to a "world-state".'° that economic solidarity would form the bedrock upon which a federal structure could then be placed. Closer economic union, he maintained, was the "master key of the whole problem". Milner also found fault with Curtis's idea of an imperial parliament, preferring full partnership for the dominions rather than their remaining permanently subservient to London." These were important criticisms. However, Curtis had a number of of the Round Table personality faults, including a dogmatic in Australia, New conducted numerous trips to local indifference to inconvenient facts—such as chapters of the Round Table in Australia, the growing desire of the dominions for Zealand, Canada and New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, it independence—and an inability to assimilate South Africa, it was was inconceivable that the dominions would contrary opinions. Subsequently his later . . reject imperial federation. Yet for all his works, in particular the three-volume Project inconceivable that the journeys, Curtis failed to see that the Round of the Commonwealth, parts of which were dominions would reject Table groups were hardly representative of published as The Commonwealth of Nations dominion opinion. THE MOVEMENT FAILS The internal bickering over the sensibility or otherwise of Curtis's increasingly utopian proposals for imperial federation were to prove of marginal concern in the long run. The fundamental issue of whether the dominions would support any proposal for imperial federation or "organic union" was neglected. In particular for Curtis, who For Curtis, who conducted numerous trips to local chapters (1916) and The Problem of the imperial federation. As one New Zealand historian later Commonwealth (1916), again endorsed the observed, "In all the colonies the Imperial construction of an organic union through a Federation movement seems to have been a radical constitutional overhaul in Britain and stuffed shirt affair". Most of the imperial the dominions and the establishment of a federation supporters in the dominions, new supranational level of government.'"* especially the politicians, had their own In The Problem of the Commonwealth, for expedient interpretations of the concept, example, Curtis argued that the "problem of government” in the — which they were quick to modify. British Empire would "lead to certain and world-wide disaster Moreover, they all operated in an environment of growing unless corrected". Curtis's solution was to create a nationalism, which caused many of them to dispense with the "Commonwealth Cabinet"—ultimately responsible to a federal idea once its popularity declined.'"” "Commonwealth Parliament"—that would "control defence, What was invisible to Curtis had long been obvious to Round foreign policy and the decision of peace or war, and have the Table editor Kerr, who harboured growing misgivings about the power to raise revenues for imperial purposes".''* For Curtis, entire project. there was only one alternative to "organic union": the dismantling Following his journey to Canada with Curtis in 1909, Kerr of the British Empire. However, despite Curtis's intentions, his wrote to fellow member Robert Brand expressing his doubts incendiary proposals in Commonwealth came close to splitting the about the whole enterprise, including his feeling that forcing the Round Table and eroded support for imperial federation in the federal solution on the dominions might only hasten their desire dominions. for independence: Empire, pp. 176, 179. memorandum); and Rose, The Cliveden Botha quoted in Rose, The Cliveden Set, 98. Nimocks, ibid., pp. 133, 146; Milner Sez, p. 88. p. 67. quoted in Gollin, Proconsul in Politics, 102. Quoted in Marlowe, Milner: 110. Anonymous quote in Marlowe, p. 163. Apostle of Empire, p. 201. Milner: Apostle of Empire, p. 212. 99. Nimocks, ibid., pp. 134-136, 147- 103. Quigley, "The Round Table", p. 111. Kendle, The Round Table 148; Lavin, From Empire to International 219. Movement, pp. 74-80; Rose, The Commonwealth, p. 108. 104. Quoted in Louis, In The Name Of Cliveden Set, p. 66. 100. Nimocks, ibid., pp. 148-151 God, Go!, pp. 53-54 (emphasis added). 112. Quigley, "The Round Table", p. (including Kerr quote); Kendle, The 105. Nimocks, Milner's Young Men, p. 218. Round Table Movement, pp. 63-64; 190. 113. Marlowe, Milner: Apostle of Lavin, ibid., pp. 108-109; Quigley, "The 106. Quoted in ibid., pp. 188-189. Empire, pp. 183, 214; Louis, In The Round Table", pp. 210-211. 107. Kerr quoted in Kendle, The Round Name Of God, Go!, pp. 37, 42-43. 101. Kendle, ibid., pp. 70-71; David Table Movement, pp. 108-110; and 114. See Lionel Curtis, The Watt, "The Foundation of the Round Rose, The Cliveden Set, p. 56. Commonwealth of Nations, MacMillan Table", The Round Table, November 108. Quoted in Kendle, ibid., p. 111. 1970, p. 425 (including quote from 109. Milner quoted in ibid., p. 114; trips to local chapters of the Round Table in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, it was inconceivable that the dominions would reject imperial federation. APRIL — MAY 2005 NEXUS = 43 For Curtis, who conducted numerous www.nexusmagazine.com