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PRIDE OF RACE.

BRITONS ALL. XO LONGER SEPARATE NATIONS, BUT ONE. , "I didn't know what the phrase 'pride of race' meant till I came to this war. But it is something to be an Australian, or it is still more to be a Britisher. The most patriotic- Australian could not be content to be only an Australian; he would have to claim the larger and ■fuller heritage to which Tie is entitled." So writes an observant Australian soldier, a lawyer in civil life, to his brother in Wellington. "When in London, . walking down Whitehall or by St..Paul's, or Westminster Abbey, I often experienced (he says) a feeling of exultation'lmpossible to describe. I was walking on air. My feet very scarcely touched the ground, for it was possible to say: "This is mine.' All the past in English history , seemed gathered up there. And all the ; vast responsibilities of the present seem- , ed to be driven home to the mind; re- • sponsibilities to the world in every corner of the world. I often used to wonder if we were equal to the task, and I ! do so still—for as much has been given much is expected. "It is almost staggering to think of the work awaiting the British race when this piece of work is done. We will havo denied world power to the Germans, we will have subdued her aa our great competitor; but we will have to show that we are worth it ourselves. I often wonder what effect this war will have on the particular destiny of Aus- j tralia. ' was kind enough to send a copy of a leader from the regarding Imperial Federation. After reading it I passed it on to several | others sleeping in the same hut as myself; just ordinary men, ono a fireman on a locomotive, another a boilermaker. They didn't like it at all. They used an impolite word, almost equal to 'rot.'

The reason was that the treated the different parts of Empire, such as vanada, New Zealand, England, etc., as quite distinct arid separate nations; it spoke of them as the Allied nations of the Empire and said that if Australia and the other Dominions hud liked they could have preserved a position of bene- [ volent neutrality in this war. (That is nonsense, of course). To us who have | come spontaneously to this war that is a '

sort of blasphemy, and to these chaps it waß enough to put the whoje article clean out of court. Australians at home do not realise the truth- of what is going on now. Do you recall Henry's words to his men before the battle of Agincourt—that he who Shed his blood witli him that day 'shall be my brother; bo he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle Iris condition.'

"So now, English, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians, we are not separate at all. Tlicir men together have ■become actually and really one nation, much more one nation than the people of their respective countries. It will be a pity if Australians at home do not realise this; but whether they realise is, or not, I honestly think the sentiment will find for itself some adequate s governmental expression after the war.; Tt will not he denied even by geography.' t often think of that sentence of Shake-, speare's I have just quoted: 'Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condi-' ition.' It is fine to see how -brotherly some men get in this life. A man reckons himself very poorly off if he has no mate."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19170605.2.49

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1917, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
597

PRIDE OF RACE. Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1917, Page 6

PRIDE OF RACE. Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1917, Page 6

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