ENGLAND IS ENGLAND STILL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 181, 9 June 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

ENGLAND IS ENGLAND STILL.

By BECKLES WILSON. (The writer of the following tribute to British character and its actual efficiency holds ch-i rank of Major in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and is the author of the standard Life of General Wolfe and otlier books, mjluding the recently published biography of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal.) The spirit of a nation—how miraculously elusive! Coming back iiom France, a witness of the dramatic restraint and halfsmouldering emotional intensity of the French people; with the English newspapers spread out befo.e me, I am more than ever struck by the further lavish opportunities ofiered to the foreigner to misunderstand the real spirit of this country —and even for Englishmen to misunderstand themselves.

It is not a question of a different race or speech, or of different interests. Other nations even Englisn Colonies—are misunderstood. For instance, a Canadian, writing in the current "Quarterly Review," observes: "We Canadians are often misjudged by both Americans and Englishmen, for the simple reason that the visitor may see our externals, and base his judgments upon them, while he fails to study the more essential thing—the spirit which lies more deeniv hidden."

And in a significnt passage in u speech last week of Mr. Andrew Fisher (which I notice went unreported) he also spoke of England's mwunderstanding of Australia.

THE HIDDEN SPIRIT. For the last few weeks in England a wave of pessimism and hypei criticism has been manifested that, :,o far as my observation goes —and I have visited towns and villages, shops and offices and munition factories, churches and schools, Government offhes, the Houses of Parliament, and talked with young and old, soldier and civilian, war widows and war orphans—is wholly and cruelly unjustifiable. If I, an observer from overseas, .vere asked my impression of what I have reen, I would say: England at no time in her long history was ever so full of industrious and devoted men and women; never was she served more zealously nd untiringly ; never did 'ier armies and her fleets carry with t! em so great a measuee of love and loyalty p,s is tho case to-day. Never was the spirit of England more glomus. But look for this spirit of England in the right place. Do not look for it in the harangues of disappointed politicians, in the sensational vapourin gs of jaundiced journalists, in tho crowded theatres, restaurants, music--1111 s, and public-houses. The real spirit of England, as was said of .-ne great Englishman ;.nd reported tin other day of another, " does not advertise." By some strange whim of eha-actc' »t even hates to reveal itself; but if yov pierce behind this superficial apparatus belonging to the England of yesterday—the ante-bellum England—yo i will find it enshrined in imi ions of quiet Cod-fearing homes .-,n<l in tli.o brains and bosoms of of n and women 'n this island who ire working and playing and steadfast'v resolving to win this war. Ai'd tiny will win it. SELF-DEPRECIATION

It may he thought that England does not need such " testimonial. Perhaps not; and for tnat reason T do not presume to offer : t to Englishmen only. As Mr. Balfour said last ween in Parliament: "To me it seems that this deliberate desire to doubts, fears, and alarms among the public, who cannot bv any possibility know intimately all trio facts is real'y acting against the public interest." Even among yourselves, may not flint celf-donro'-iation. which is only a curiosity of national phye'riology in time* of peace. become a weakness and a dnne rin time of war? May not nationa l se!f-di.4rust and self-dis us-. agf'-Tr.ent communicates itself to England's allies, and even to li.or nrm'e in the field 2 Tt must inevitably .i depr n ?sing influence up'.v. her

If there is one which I, as a Canadian, am proud of next to our own army, it is the implicit confidence 3f our own civil population in the Mother-country. Examine our newspapers, read cur parliamentary debates, and you will see we have never pretended to criticise the conduct ui the war; th.e conipletsst "trust has been extended to the British Ministry and its chosen naval and military leaders. It :s for us to hack th.em with men and munitions, -nd not to cavil became every measure is not instantly crowned with success.

But already 1 fear some whisper—some dim echo of the prevailing insular pessimism—has been heard overseas, calculated to disturb that confidence. England in her h it knows herself; she can rely 011 her own steadfastness and her own integrity, but her people sometimes have ■ curious way of making a stranger think they are a decadent people playing a losing game.

FALSE PROPHETS. "England,"' wiote Kinglal.c. in his "Invasion of tlie Crimea" half a century ago, "had long loon an enigma to the political students of t!ie Continent. Tlicy thought that she was falling from her place among the nations, and, indeed, there were signs which might lead a shallow observe. - to fancy that her ancient spirit was failing Half a century before we find Sheridan writing: "Lord Wellington wi'l fail in the Peninsu'a. not only because he is shallow and incompetent, but be. cause the English nation no iorger deserves success."

Again, half a century Vfore that, on the eve of the splendid conquests of Canada and of India, Horace Waipole and his fellow journalists had been full of c-roakings at England's moral and political decadence. Truly, England has always 1 een England. Prophets of "efficie'i , may go unceasingly up and down the land, but England will never yield lightly to change. The things whicn some of us wish w,ere different —the intellectual laziness, the >lu inking from seli'-revei-ation. the distrust of emotion, the .stiff manner, the astounding guiltlessness, the aversion from a'l that k v.-.ours of ruse or strategy, the slowne.s to realise the situation, the crust- d formality,- the shy brand of patriotism—these are ingrained ; n the English character. Hut they do not affect its staunchness and they will not hindrr its tri-

liniith. I have heard many comparisons between the demeanour of the common people in London and Paris, in England and France, in this w;v. 1 have observed both. 1 iie Englishman does not cry "Long live England", he does not press the Ui ion Jack to his heart: lie does not weep as he studies the newspaper bulletin boards announcing a victory or a defeat. But n no respect of the cardinal traits —of loyalty and steadfastness, of pity— s he behind his French brother, f< ur millions of Englishmen have voiuntaril / offered to give tlu*ij- lues to the cause. That is eloquence.

A mother down in Kent lost two of her sons. 1 called on her, and found an instance of the shy, gauche mutism of the Englishwomen of her class. "Your siris,"' 1 raid, '"they gave up their lives for Engla'd ' ;

"Yes, sir," she aaswered stably ».w] almost in surprise, "I suppose you might nut it that way. Thev ciid tliei duty."

It you must nit accept their undemonstrativeness lev !.;ck of fervoui, especially must you l> -.varo of an Englishman's grumblibother in Parliament or el o\\ here !; cr-utious >f his estimate of himself. A foreigner or a Colonial visito»* will go sadly astray if he aci 1 pt»- literally tho opinion winch ho hears or roads of the alleged incompetence, slackness, and blundering of those who-e duty it is to serve the nation here :• t h< me.

HATS OFF TO BRITAIN. A distinguished American said to mo tho other day: "I am amazed at th" zeal and efficiency of England in this war. Every class and 7 rofession has come forward to help and to make sacrifices. You wid hear petty criticism to the contrary. Shut your ears to it. Every A morion:! who go-r»- below the surface and see-, whn* Englishmen and Englishwomen are now doing, takes off his hat in admiration." \ccording to th" views ol certain intnots. the present Coalition Ministrv is o;io of the worst and feeblest ol modern times. Xa:nes are bandied .about .n club smoking-rooms, m trains

and omnibuses, of distinguished men whose whole lives have been passed in the service of the State as if tl.ey were pettifoggers and blunderers and altogether inadequate to conduct the business of the war. 1 have been privileged to meet some of these statesmen at close quarters, and with my personal knowledge of .Ministers in i ranee and America I do not hesitate to say that, man for man, the present political leaders of England, in sheer intellect, in character, in probity, in prevision and in industry, arc at least the equal of any who preside over the destinies of either of those- nations. I go further. We have heard them compared with previous English Administrations, and generally to their disadvantage. Let me fay that, so far as my somewhat intimate reading of English political history carries me, there has been no English Administration, whether Wa'.pole's or Chatham's, or P.tt's, or Liverpool's, or Russell s, or Palmerston's, that would not have derived added lustre from the presence in ii of Asquith, Bonar Law, Grey, Balfour, Lloyd George, or F. F. Smith. J shall not forget the remark made in my hearing by one of those great public servants

• LEISURED TRIFLEP " "I am sorry fur B (o 10 of his secretaries): he hasn't my constitution, and i fear will break down under the strain of working lourte.'n or fifteen hours a day. 1 scarcely over see my wife and family, and I can t take even a rest on Sunday. I con't complain; I don't want to be praised; but 1 can understand my wife'.; indignation when she hears me referred to as a 'leisured trifier.'!"

And this man- and, indeed, most of his colleagues—possesses a rent-roll »1 many thousands a year —now "scorning delights to live laborious days"— only sustained, ir the midst of prevalent depreciation and abuse, Ly a consciousness that he is doing Jus simple duty. Every public department .s working overtime. From the Chief down to the smallest messenger, all are doing their utmost. Englishmen lir ve a horror of praising themselves. "I wouldn't come v.ithn a thousand mles of German declared Mr. Balfour the other day in the: House cf Commons. But they do go to the other extreme. They have a perfect flair for the detection of faults. They forget the dictum of a famous military historian: "The private citizens of "■ nation at war should not fasten their critical gaze upon this cr that litt'e sample of administrative work. It is with field-glasses, not prying microscopes that people roust watch the. progress of a campaign." IN THE OLD WAV

In making these observations, I repeat. I do so not for the benefit of Englishmen. The English canxto", with what some of us esteem its faults, but which on clrseii nspectio.i one sees to be part and parcel of its virtues, will never change. You will hput turn them into Frenchmen or Americans any moiv than you can turn them into Germans. You may preach method and efficiency arid "'bustle, Li Try, and push, till you are black in rlie face. England will always go on ;u the old way. She will always concuet her wars and compcrt herself in consonance with her ancient character. No; 1 write for the foreigner o: - Colonial who, noting the volleys >;r abuse directed apainst England's ab'est statesmen, hearing the laugnvr in the crowded theatre.-, soeing the hordes of light-hearted shoppers ind din n rs and motorist.?, and reading one lighter journals of the hour, thinks with misgiving be is face to face with the spirit of England. The real spirit of England is cloistered, and, as i said, at the beginning, elusive. It is to be found behind darkened windows, toiling at its task of governing, of serving, however nimbly, Engla'yl in the tragic travail through which, disguise it as she may, .-he is at prer.cnt passing.

It is to be found in the English countryside— in tiie hundred thousand English homes desolated by death, and yet ready and willing to render further and the supreme •-aerifies. Don t mnk,» any mistake. A false impression that England is not true to herself m this hour would work damage to our confidence overseas, and" must be effaced. England, tin mother in whose honour and strength we of the Outer Man lies trust, is England still.