BRITAIN AND AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1921, Page 5

BRITAIN AND AMERICA.

CAUSES OF ILL-FEELING. AN INTERESTING LECTURE. A lecture on the feeling that exfets' between Great Britain and ita causes and possible remedies, was given in the Victoria League room. New Plymouth, lawt night by Professor Annie H. Abel, professor of history at the Smith College, .Northampton, U.S_A, Coining at a time when the nations are re-adjusting their positions in relation to each other, the lecture was particularly interesting and appropriate, and the large audience that gathered to hear Miss Abel, who is a fluent and accomplished speaker, with a marked graap of her subject, showed warm appreciation.

Miss Abel said the subject she had chosen to speak on was a very delicate one, but she would deal with it unreservedly, as her motive WM an honest one. Her great aim and desire was to bring the English speaking peoples together. It had hurt her tn the earlier days of her study to hear Great Britain spoken of by Americans as an arch tyrant. During the war she was enabled to increase the scope of her

study, and so concentrated on early British colonisation in America and. elsewhere. She did not like to say today that America was decidedly antiBritish. Her purpose was to explore some of the causes of anti-Brltish feel-, ing in America. A strong bias in tafteb ing American history in the public

schools was one of the chief factors contributing to ad verse feeling; the Americans had idealised themselves and their history. In the first place they took all the credit for the colonisation of America themselves, as if Britain had had oothing to do with it. As an example of the idealisation of great Americans, the professor quoted the life of Washington. In spite of all that' has been said to the contrary, Washing-' ton was an unpopular President on account of Iris strong pro-Britteh tendencies, but in order to idealise Washington in the eyes of young Americans, only certain traits in his character and history were ever recorded by his biographers. Another reason why America was biassed was on account of an intense local patriotism. BEGINNING OF DIFI’ERENCES.

Touehing on the causes of the outburst of anti-British action in tangible form, the speaker recounted the incidents of the Boston tea party, which, she said, was the only tyrannical act 1 toward America on Britain’s part, and which caused intense feeling. This was one of the initial events of the revolution. Then there followed the mithieal< battle of Lexington, the history of> which was read, taught, and generally accepted in America. In late years it, had come to light that the battle of. Lexington was never really fought. Weare wont, said the speaker, to associatethe battle of Lexington with the battle of Concord. In reality the battle or Concord did take place, but an examination of the records of the Lexington* affair had revealed that the only shot at Lexington that “was heard around the world,” was fired by the Redcoats to disperse the minute men gathered on the green out of curiosity when the British soldiery was passing through, the town. Although a few of the minute men were killed, no battle actually took place, and the gathering of Americans dispersed without firing a shot. The history of this event was really bolstered up out of jealousy over the battle of Concord, and to arouse hatred for the British. This act was typical of many quoted by the speaker, who said American feeling was worked up by place-seekers and political aspirants, till the revolution broke over the land.

When the war was over, one of the most peculiar treaties in history was signed, in which no mention whatever was made of the causes of the revolution. It was simply an agreement by., which a state of war was converted into a state of peace. In spite of a bolstered up belief to the contrary, America had gained nothing by that l war, and yet it was taught in American schools as a great victory. America was shut out of the commercial life she 'bad enjoyed as a British colony. Dividing America’s anti-British feeling, the speaker traversed at length the rela-i tions of the two countries down to the* Monroe Doctrine and the late War. Propaganda through text books and school books was a great evil that should be fought, the speaker said, mentioning several instances when she personally had been asked to critically examine text books before they were launched on the schools and public. Some of these she had found to be “propaganda of the most abominable .kind,” and she had been instrumental in preventing their publication. A DANGEROUS ELEMENT. But tho most dangerous element in America to-day fostering anti-British feeling were the Jrish-Americans, who would probably be the greatest stumbling block to the creation of friendly feeling. This element seemed to take a genuine delight in feeling that they had a grievance against the British nation. Yet a change was coming over the American attitude toward Britain, and there were many hopefull signs that the truth in regard to tliaj past relations of the two countries waaj becoming better known. Societies with] the object of promoting good feeling, were at work investigating the cause#] of the enmity and seeking remed.es. The time was coming when a betteljl understanding would be arrived “America,” said Miss Abel, “is almost pathetically anxious for British approv-. al, and this has of late been in many directions.” In moving a vote of thanks to Professor Abel for her interesting and in<rf structive address, Archdeacon Evanssaid the address came at an opportune time, when it was necessary io show; that the English speaking peoples wero essentially one. Tho peace of the wora! 1 depended on the Anglo-Saxon race. He mentioned that nt the beginning of the late war, a meeting of American miller# was held to ascertain the amount of wheat in the country. It was found that the available quantity was only sufficient for requirements within America, but there and then it was decided, that two-thirds of t hat wheat -should go to the Allies. This, sai.l Evans, was a magnificent act that should be always remembered, :ind was of such that the future relations of the two great countries should be modelled. The vote of thanks was carried by acclamation.