Under Which Flag?

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19141, 26 October 1927, Page 8

Under Which Flag?

The cable news of the last few days has contained some amusing details of the trial of Chicago's Superintendent of Schools on charges of dis(seminating " British propaganda"' among children. One of the witnesses for the prosecution was a certain Mr Frederick Bausman, formerly a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State of Washington, who saw in Rhodes scholarships a sinister plot to bring the United States back under the British flag. In an issue of the American Mercury to hand by yesterday's mail Mr Bausman discusses the impending conquest of America by Britain in an article entitled "Under Which Flag?" After reviewing the successive " conquests " by Great Britain of Spain, Holland, and France, Mr Bausman comes to the conclusion that it is America's turn next, and sounds a clarion call to his countrymen to be on their guard against friendly relations with the national enemy—and in the meantime to insist on the payment of war debts. The British Empire has, he discovers, emerged from the Great War stronger than ever. ".Its apparent "dissolution into several Dominions," he asserts, "has been a most decisive "strategic gain from the military "point of view. Take the case of " Canada. So long as it was wholly "subservient to England we might "have seized it as a prize of war. " To-day, should we get into war with "Great Britain, Canada could simply " declare herself neutral." ' Passing from the Old World, where Britain has " the whole of Northern Europe except "France at her mercy," Mr Bausman comes to the Pacific, where he envisages a conflict between Japan and Britain on the one hand and America on the other. " One of the British Dominions," he admits, "has been un- " easy about Japan, but she will be " quieted as soon as Great Britain com- " pletes the great naval base at Singa- " pore," after the completion of which "John Bull will make his Asiatic do- " minions an independent foundry of " war." Already in India he is "creating gigantic steel works to supplement Singapore." But the really terrible thing is the fact that' John Bull is not only making these preparations in his own territory. He is at work in American territory, cajoling and corrupting the " influential Press, our " leading bankers, in seaport towns our "leading/lawyers, and in fashionable " circles the bulk of those persons who " most influence public opinion and "abash opposition." Now that we know, we can understand the alarm of " Big Bill" the Mayor.