ANGLO-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 August 1919, Page 2

ANGLO-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP.

By two deeds that she did in the earlier days of the war, more than by any that she did before or after, Germany hurt herself With America, writes Owen Wister in “The Times.” These were the sinking of a ship, May 7, 1915, and the Shooting of a woman, October 12, 1915. If ever there had been a PoSSibilitY that American sympathy might be so divided as to hold 11:: back from our duty and our salvation that possibility was killed forever When Edith Cavell died for England. So it may very confidently be said that, if Germany ’s doom was not sealed already, she sealed it herself by these two acts in 1915. In the hour of Edith Cavells’ funeral service, as her body approached Westminster Abbey, but before it had quite reach»cr". the entrance, the Waiting people‘ thought it was come, and rose in silent respect_ During that silence, very faintly from above us as we stood, the clock struck noon.

As I counted the strokes, these were my American thoughts. This woman, Who died for her country, died for more than that T.he shots by which she fell killed what was left of the chance we should stay out 0»? the fight. They tore away whatever was left of the veil that hid Gc_-rman savagery from our eyes. After that, it was merely a question of time when our bodies and our spirits should be equipped to join in defeating Germany. This Edith Cavell did; and now to-day, here comes her body, and we all, of many nations but mostly of British race, rise to meet its approach, united in reverence and gratitude beneath this roof .

ERA OF UNDERSTANDING Presently the singing began, and my -thoughts Went on:These Words from ‘f:1;. Bible that I

lam hearing, these prayers, this hymn, i“Abidc With Me,” are the corner|stene of both my faith and my speech. Erhe pi-os'e of the Bible is the foundaltion upon which rest my belief, my law, and my manner of expressing them. This roof, Where these words I have known by heart all my life are lnow being uttered, is the shrine of my history. ‘lt belongs to me. It cannot be: possible for any American, however untravelled hitherto, to enter here and ‘linger awhile and learn what it holds, not to be stirrecl to his depths. The [place speaks to him of himself, his imeaning, his past, the great race to iwhich he belongs. gMay the striking of that noon hour and the coming here lo?’ Edith CavelL’s body mark the end or the era of misunélerstanding and the beginning of the era of understanding between Great Britain and America.