Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1947. BRITISH EMPIRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 116, 26 February 1947, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1947. BRITISH EMPIRE

Under the heading, “An Empire Falls —and Rises,” the “New York Times” makes some very interesting observations. Generally Comment by American newspapers excite little interest so far as the British Commonwealth is concerned, but on this occasion the “New York Times,” which has been a consistent champion of Britain, touches on points which in the light of recent trends, are not far short of the mark. At the outset the paper remarks that as a Power exercising a dominion by force of arms, Britain has grown weaker. This is a point which is very much open to debate. History has revealed that in most of the major

wars she has fought, Britain has suffered tremendous early reverses, but in the long run she has come out on top. It is true that in the two last conflicts she has had powerful allies, and that, if left to defend herself, she may have gone under. Britain may no longer be able to exercise dominion by force, but she has long since abandoned this policy. Her every energy has been devoted to the promotion of peace not by a display of force but by pacific means. Her disarmament proposals after 1914-18 almost proved her undoing, and she has’ now been forced to fall into line with the generally accepted programme of much larger standingforces in time of peace. She may not be able to laud it over un-

willing peoples, but should another conflict come she would still be found to be a power to be reckoned with. “We are witnessing an evolution that is really a peaceful revolution,” says the paper, “An old Empire in its imperial phase is at its twilight.” This is not perhaps altogether new, for British policy of recent times has been one of adjustment to meet changing attitudes of mind and compromise to meet altered circumstances. The British people for long enough now have known what it is to struggle and meet hardship, and in view of this it is not unnatural to find a strengthening of the national conscience. Had it not been for this, the Empire might well have crumbled long ago. The main point of interest concerning the views expressed by, the “New York Times” is that “the new Britain is more appealing to the American mind than the old.” The paper does not attempt to illustrate the point, which can* be taken in a number of ways. It may be that America is thinking of her own security and the possible need at some future time of strong backing. Be this as :t may, if the Britain of. to-day is more acceptable to America than the Britain, of old, and the two can be brought as close in peace as they were in war, then they can be the most’ powerful combination obtainable for the pre-' servation of each other and of peace.