HISTORY TEXTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 73, 27 March 1929, Page 23

HISTORY TEXTS.

BREEDERS OF WAR SPIRIT,

Titc history textbooks of many coun•itries were condemned as breeders of international enmities in an address by Dr. William Fletcher Russell, dean of Teat'Chers , Collejre, Columbia University, at the luncheon of Radcliffe College graduates. Hβ read extracts from French textbooks and cited examples from other countries. "It is my impression that there ie just about as much hatred, about as niuth suspicion, just about as much desire for war, n< there was in the days before the World War,". Dean Russell eaid. "One cannot go from one country to another in Europe, Asia or tihe Americas without becoming impressed with the fact that not only the working people, not only the military, but people like you and me, spend much of their time'indulging in ihate for their neighbours. "The history textbooks must be acceptable to the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution in all countries," he said. "We must permit old fashionei patriotism in each country. All we ■an insist up-*n is tha-. there be no slurs against other people in the 'histories, and that when a nation like ours derives definite benefit* trorn the cultures and resource* of oiiier nations we give credit for what they lave contributed.