LINKS WITH THE PAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1924, Page 4

LINKS WITH THE PAST.

BRITISH AND ROMAN EMPIRES. PACIFIC CONTROLCHRISTCHURCH, March 18. A thoughtful and suggestive address was given by Professor J. Macmillan Brown at the annual meeting of the Christchurch centre of the New Zealand Classical Association at Canterbury College last night. Professor Brown said that he proposed to take two Empires, the British Empire, and the Roman 'Empire, and consider them. He passed in rapid review tho empires of the past, an:! pointed out their relations and dependence upon natural phenomena lor success. The great earlier empires, Babylonian. Phoenician and Egyptian, had achieved solidarity and. union through religion, and kings had moulded empties on the intangible beliefs of their primitive peoples. Nations in steppe, desert countries were influenced to a great extent by the alternations of arid and fluvial periods. The Phoenicians hail anticipated the British Empire in establishing trading posts, and their work was carried further by the Greeks, who set up colonies alter trading posts. Nature dictated that Greece should not have an empire. The character of the Grecian mainland and the Aegean Isle.s enabled too runny commuunities to spring, up without unity. But if a Greek Empire had been established, it was doubtful if the Greeks would have retained their love ol ircedom which for the first time became the diameter of a people. They would not have handed on that idealising touch without which Rome would luiic lacked a .soul. Italy, however, was a country of uplands and plains, an ideal environment for the birth of an Empire. The valley v.f the Tiber with its natural boundaries, was the one place where a centre for such an empire could have arisen. Rome first learnt the principles of a strong empire. Wherever she conquered, in early days, the conquered people were accorded the privileges of their victors. An essential element ol Kerne’s greatness was her system of carefully "built roads. This made and kept Rome a. community. Carthage, Home's early rival, was bound to iall. Bound by the desert anil the sea, it was far too long and narrow lor the basis of an empire, and Hannibal s communications wetc too ragged. I‘or about six centuries Rome was .supreme, until the Goths and Huns swept like a thunderstorm over Italy. Wherever the Roman Empire went, Christianity followed. “To Rome,” said I’rolessor Brown, “we owe the saving of the world from Maliommedaiiism.’' But Rome had never penetrated through the German forests in to Prussia, and there Christianity was only skin deep. Tin's, lie said, explained the gap between the ethical standards of the Germans and the Allies. It was not an accident that Britannia ruled the waves and Germany waived the rules. professor Brown rapidly sketched the history of Britain to the eighteenth century, when she. first realised that she was not a mere replica of Phoenicia. Britain had been fortunate in escaping the fate of Spain ami Bortugal in not luting a. country with tropical conquests. She was lelt only the temperate zone of North America. This lifted her from a conquering nation to a colonising nation. But the, price of pepper rose from 3s to os. and the British East India Company was formed and Britain acquired a tropical empire. “And Britain is going to have trouble in managing her tropical empire,' 5 said Professor Browm. “It will be no ill fate if she loses India and has only her own flesh and blood colonies for her Empire. ’ One of the greatest blessings to the British .Empire was the revolt of the American States, for Britain then realised that .she must treat her colonies as equals not as subjects.

Now tlio divcanis of the ages had come true and the East was lace to face with the West for the first time. Now. for the first time came the possibility of world unity. Unfortunately, the West and Hast had different standards socially, ethically and economically. The difficulty of inter-miiiglin.g "between Mongol and Caucasia had been overcome before. Ibe great question was in hybridise the standards of life. In the bast a woman counted for nothing. in the West she was email to man. But this development wars quite recent in tile West, so why not so in the Hast? Then there was the question of education. The Japanese wore passionately eager for education. This was a sure indication that Japan was going to lie the differentiating, the masterful power in the Pacific. Yet in England education was only two centuries old, so there was hone for education in China and Japan. From an economic standpoint, said the profc.-.sor, the fecundity of the East and tin' risk of plague and hunger had left the marks of tens of thousands .of years, and reduced the inhabitants to a low standard of living. “TTow far,” lie asked, “will Japan be able to control her pride and imitation?” If she could treat Korea, Manchuria and China as equals then he could not say whether the West or the East would rule the Pacific. There would he armies from Lhe East such as history had never seen. Japan, on the sea, was one of the most truly naval nations of the world. ..Not even Britain had such wealth in sailors. But Japan had continental possessions. She wanted Korea, Manchuria, and parts of China, and as long ns she had these she would be defeated in the Pacific. “Who will face Japan, if the struggle comes? As far as navies are concerned, the United States of America has the weakest position .in tho Pacific,” said Professor Brown. “In British Columbia and our own country, two temperate zones, lie tho hones for the future to protect Canada, Australia and the United States. If Britons take I to ease and pleasure, if Socialism holds I the reins of power and flabbiness ot character comes, the British Empire will fall to pieces. It is not the fecundity of tile East which threatens but its virility. They have the power to do, face and endure on a minimum of sustenance. This was the power of the barbarians who conquered Rome. There is still to coine a race or State which can endure all the buffets of fortune and last for ever, and tho race which will consider its posterity shall last for ever.”