ENGLISH IN EARNEST.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 March 1917, Page 2

ENGLISH IN EARNEST.

UNDERSTANDING WITH AMERICA STATESMEN GRASP; PEOPLE FLOUNDER. (By Hugh J. Ward in the Sydney Sun) America is not understood in Australia; England is not understood in America. There is the Pacific separating us; there is the Atlantic separating America and England. A phrase of Ruskin’s occurs to my mind. It is: “Shouting across seas of misunderstanding.” It is the crowd that shouts. I am firmly convinced* however, that Washington understands St. James, and St. James understands Washington. They know. Washington is closer to St. James than America is to England or Australia to America. They are in touch There is not only an intellectual affinity, but a kindred sympathy, a passionate love ofrtuman rights, an abhorrence of wrongs, a will to have justice prevail. There is nothing in this world more thrilling than the English in earnest. We know they are in earnest to-day. They are shedding their blood and their treasure as never before in their history. The world stands aghast at their might. It has heard them proclaim their purpose. It has witnessed their selfless sacrifice. And knowing British love'of justice, it knows That England, the champion of ,freedom, won all human rights for mankind without count of cost.

“ON, ON, YOU GLORIOUS ENGLISH.” It has taken time for this to penetrate to the consciousness of every people. Those of us with British blood i in us knew it all the time and were impatient of the rest who failed to . realise it. But now the whole world knows it. Yes, Germany too. For a while they impressed neutrals. Their , propaganda was more skilful. I believe to-day that the right of the British is even penetrating Germany. It is only a matter of time when the j truth will out. There is a world psy- ■ chology, and some day it will be the force to bring about the brotherhood i of man. . ( The heart of the world quickens to I the truth of this, and to-day fs crying, ' “On, on you gl:rious English!” The force of it struck me one morning when I took up the New York Times. I read an editorial which bej gan; “We are not neutral; we are for , England and the Allies!” That was the pent-up feeling of America. It had been held in check, •and is still, though it must now be relieved by Germany being outlawed, for this is the meaning of the break in diplomatic relations. A feeling of repugnance had long swung the -whole American public from the last vestige of sympathy with the German case—a case, you must remember, that had been stated most plausibly by means of subtle propaganda. No appeal that could reach an emotional people—and the Americans are emotionally highstrung —had been overlooked. But gradually mists lifted, and right stood out from wrong, the truth impressed itself on the people, the Allies’ cause was vindicated.

THE SPIRIT OF ROOSEVELT. Always, one has to remember, that th e American people are detached from Europe—from the rest of the world. They are absorbed in the development of a continent. They concentrate on this to the exclusion of every other concern. The war to them for a year or mo®e was something in the papers. They didn’t inquire into either cause or effect. Gradually however, it dawned upon them that this was a struggle in which the whole world was involved, that their liberties were threatened by a great military machine, designed to subjugate all peoples to the will of its creators. In time, however, the whole nation ■was awake. It saw who was the aggressor; it saw what each group was fighting for. The spirit of Roosevelt, which is the spirit of America, fired them. Young men went over to Canada and enlisted. To-day there are over 50,000 Americans fighting with the Canadian, The figures are insignificant when viewed in the light of American man-power, which is calculated at 15,000,000, but it shows the trend of feeling. And America is not yet at war. LOOK OUT FOR THE AVALANCHE. But the American is no longer indifferent. Young America is eager to be in the fight; is only awaiting the word. Washington knows the spirit of the country. It will bo a dramatic event that will bring the United States in. When it happens, and war is declared, look out for the avalanche! That is the way the American people move. Every American naval officer has the deepest respect for the British Navy, i heard a few of them talk at Honolulu. The German officers were under their word of honour not to in-

;terfere with their interned vessels. They destroyed their machinery. “Had they been British,” said one wearing the U.S.A. uniform, “such a thing could not have happened.” That is what the word of a Britisher means in the world. I have seen it in every country. The word of an Englishman is as good as his gold. It is a wonderful thing. England stands for honour, for chivalry, round th e world. It stands for everything that men value. The world knows it. The day that they went into the war against Germany, that day the world knew where right lay. British fair play; what a reputation! It brought in the whole Empire; it nailed the flag of freedom to the mast. It made history wherever that flag flies. By heavens, when England goes into a struggle it means something—and that something is for mankind.