In praise of the British.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1923, Page 1

In praise of the British.

GREAT AMBASSADOR’S LETTERS. LONDON, Nov. 9. Mr Burton Hendrick’s '“Life and Letters of Walter H. Page ” is a model of what an official biography should be. Mr Page, who represented the United States in London during the war. was himself Ike perfect Ambassador. He sympathised strongly with the British, believing them to be ill the right, hut lie also faithfully upheld American claims. He was deeply loved by all who came into contact with him, and the news ot* his sad death, due to the war anil its overwhelming strain, sent n pang of, sorrow through British hearts. Selections from his letters and palters have already been published, hut they contain only a mere fraction ol the wealth of material which is to he found in these two stately volumes, which are of abiding importance as historical documents and of interest to all of British rate. Em* they give the verdict of a. cool, dispassionate critic on our own selves in the terrible hours ot sorrow which the war brought; and the verdict is lull ol enthusiasm and

praise: As lor the British Hie wrote in late 1915), there never was such a race. It's odd—l hear that it happens just now to he the iashion in the United States to say. that the British are not doing their share. There never was a greater slander. They absolutely hold the Seven Seas. They’ve sent to France by several times the largest army that any people over sent over the sea. They are financing most ol their Allies. But. it was the dauntless courage and quiet of the British that moved him must.: No family in the land drum charcoal humors to dukos, hesitates one moment to send its sons into the Army. When tlie news comes of their death, they never whimper. All the old stories from Homer down arc outdone every day by these people. There is simply no end to the silly sides of their character. But when the real trial comes, they don’t flinch. PRESIDENT WILSON. He was moved as he saw out* wealth melting, the vast savings passing into smoke and lire to liberate the world, tht- enormous casualty lists swelling: Not a tear have I seen yet. They lake it as a part of the price of givaincss and of Empire. You guess al their gtiei only by their reticence. It isn’t an accident that these people own a tilth of the world. 1 Doric unw arhke, they outlast nuybod-. else w hen witr comes. \nd again: You needn't talk of decadence -in the British). All their great qualities are in them here and now. Every man, woman, and child seems to be doing sunn-tiling. In the ordinary daily life we see few of them : everybody is al work, lie fell that he was beholding heroism and he loved the heroic people. Hi- regret was great that Piesideiil WiUoo played so feeble a part : sometimes lie seems almost to have feared that the President- would make war on the British because they refused to allow him to impose a peace ot his own illumining on them.