SCHOOL AND EMPIRE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 8

SCHOOL AND EMPIRE.

A DANGEROUS AGE. EDUCATION FOR IMPERIAL CITIZENSHIP. OUR OWN LEAGUE OF NATIONS. (SMXIAI.I.T WRITTEN *Oll THE F&ESS.) IBy Ftunk MiiiNEn, M.A., C.M.G., Headmaster. aitaki Boys High School.] * It is a fa-vourite thesis with Professor Arnold fToynbee that the World js- suffering from a political time-lag. Unification is seen in the growing complex of economic interdependence and in cultural rapprochement between East and West. Science rapidly annihilates space and jostles us all into propinquity. The one great obstructive agency is the compartmontal mind of the politician and the nationalistic limitation of even the statesman. Equally with Mr H. G. Wells the erudite professor would iron out "much of this bizarre differentiation and all its hectic egoisms, and allocate planetary interests to a world-con trolling organisation.

Nationalisation and Internationalism. In this age of internationalism not pnly do the sharp outlines of national frontiers tend to blur, but even national cultures and national traditions are in danger of losing definiteness of outline. Great as are the dangers of intensive nationalism, nothing would bo gained by resolution into cosmopolitanism. One great objective of the Teutonic conspiracy which launched tho Great War was" the standardisation of Europe under uniform "Kultur." Balkanisation with all its rampant excesses is preferable to a' stereotyped regime of stagnancy. After all it must be admitted that so far nationalism has done more than any other -form of world polity for human advancement. The problem of the future is to harmonise the legitimate developments oi nationalism with the ever-growing conception of international co-operation, bo as 'to qualify and temper patriotism with a background of .humanism. 1

British Empire Itself a League of Nations. la this Work of readjustment on reorientation, we ■ of the British Empire can surely play a leading part. Although the term Empire has under llritisli interpretation long ahed its sinister connotation, and become synonymous with a charter of freedom, still in deference to sensitive susceptibilities we may well adopt, the alternative title—(the British Common- j wealth 'of Nations. So vast is the orb of its fate, so world-wide the extent of itß dominion, so multitudinous its contacts, so richly; diverse the pageantry of its peoples,' that within its gamut is comprised a veritable jLeague cf Nations aggregating over one-quar-ter of the population of the world. Surely in this Vast confraternity of peoples there is horizon enough to satisfy the idealism of the most perfervid humanist. Its very polyglot composition assures a breadth Of survey,' a width of interest,' that can never degenerate into rabid nationalism. Its publicists are safeguarded from chauvinism by the atmosphere of international charity. Obligations. to the Motherland. There is clamant necessity to-day for the interpretation to the young of our Imperial heritage, and especially of our wealth of obligation to the Motherland. Some few years ago the London "Times" put the- case for this aspect of education with unqualified boldness: "Nothing in our education can compare in importance with the firing of the mind of our pupils with some such conception of ,the greatness of the British Empire as will breed in them a pride therein and a joyous loyalty thereto. To instil into a boy's mind a pride and love of his country and to give him a knowledge of the greatness and inner meaning of the British Empire should be the first duty or every school and every master, and to assure himself that this is being done should be the first duty of every parent.". Empire's Stabilising Influence. iTo those of us who realise the unique stabilising influence of the Empire in the welter of insistent and conflicting nationalism to-day, this educational responsibility must be fully discharged. Apart from the vague humanitarianism of the cosmopolitan, and the vicious propaganda of the Communist, there are other factors,; such.. as extravagant interpretations of the .Statute of Westminster 111., which tend to obscure if not to disrupt; the underlying spiritual unity of the Empire. History lends overwhelming support to the contention that the British Empire should be adequately and vividly interpreted to our pupils as the greatest political achievement of all time, and as the greatest Secular agency for good in this world. This statement is made in 110 jingoistic or materialistic spirit. The aspect of the British Empire which invests it with supreme significance to the world is its creative genius in giving expression to political and religious liberty. Britain's proudest title to fame is her creation of a world-encircling confraternity of nations reproducing overseas with touching fidelity the freedommoving institutions of the Motherland, endowed with full autonomy, and yet united-in a spiritual entente with their founder. General Smuts, whose political philosophy is an admirable reconciliation of the apparently conflicting claims of nationalism and internationalism, has special right to be heard as an interpreter of the British Empire.: As ft

Boer soldier, statesman, publicist, and philosopher he has had an extensive range of experience. "Nihil tetigit quod nori ornavit." Neither should it be forgotten that the magnanimity of the Vereeniging Treaty converted him from a leader of hostile armies to enthusiastic advocacy of the British Empire. At Cape Town University recently, in the course of a well-informed eulogy ot its constitution and world-wide influence, he described the Empire as the most precious thing in modern civilisation—the palladium of liberty. He regards the inter-relation of its constituent self-governing parts as an exemplar and prototype of future world relationship. . Moreover, it should be explained that the League of Nations drew its regulations for the guidance of mandatory. Powers from these very principles gf trusteeship which have been worked out in» our colonial system. Spiritual Nexus of Empire. Britain has devised and applied in her Empire a new doctrine of association by voluntary grouping—a worldwide polity based on goodwill and cooperation. This has constituted it a nucleus of world stability and order. The very flexibility and adaptability of its constitution have made it a perpetual warning to the political prophet J spite of radical adjustments, the British Empire preserves to-day its full spiritual unity The old sentiment of pride in material grandeur has been transmuted to spiritual achievements —the consummation of a world-wide commonwealth of nations, a communal aggregation of autonomous peoples unified -by a loyalty to a .supreme ideal symbolised by the Throne. There is no constituent nation but gains immeasurably in and prestige by jfiemberahip of this majeßtic fraternity. There is none but would lose substantially by withdrawal. The Dominions already liave within the ambit of the Empire all the independence they need to develop full nationhood. .Why in aspiring after a figment should they accept comparative insignificance in lieu of their present proud standing? A Rich Endowment. ! As citizens of the British Empire we are beneficiaries of a rich endowment, i participators in an age-long heritage that has broadened down from pre-, cedent to precedent. Britain has stood sentinel at the portal of the Temple of Liberty for a thousand years. Britain has dowered the world with rich largess, | of constitutional liberty and political | achievement. With raro fecundity ehe has transplanted overseas and faithfully reproduced among her descendants those great democratic principles which are crystallised in the Magna Carta, JTrial by Jury, Integrity of Judicature, Habeas Corpus, Cabinet Government, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Conscience, and the whole system of Responsible Parliamentary Government. With Burke's historic impeachment of Warren Hastings came full recognition of the moral trusteeship of the Empire. Henceforth the fiduciary principle runs like a thread of gold through the chequered tissue of our. Imperial'Btory —-through the Durham Report, the Anti-Slavery Legislation, the Colonial Constitution Acts, and on to the Vereeniging Pcac<?,the Montagu Declaration, the Government of Tndia Act, the Kenya White Papers (1923 and 1930), and the Chamberlain Pronouncement of Chinese policy (1927). It finds, too, superb exemplification in Lord Lugard's monumental work, "The Dual-Mandate in Tropical Africa,' ~ where-the record of British administration in Nigeria constitutes one of the finest pages in our Imperial annals. In West Africa and Nigeria under the Colonial Office, and in Sudan under the Foreign Office, the principle of trusteeship for backward races and the disinterested discharge, of enlightened -stewardship - find perhaps their best illustration in Colonial history. There the system of government by means of the tribal organisations and conservation of native customs has found. its best expression.

Duty of Education. It should b6 a primary aim of our education to interpret tor each generation of pupilß the inner significance of the British Empire. The British Empire is unique in its combination of autonomy with corporate unity of pur- j pose and fdeals under the Throne. 3u . the four corners of the world-it has sowed the seeds of young nations and j has belted the earth with peoples animated with the cardinal British characteristics of liberty, justice, commonsense, and love of fairplay. The British have, to the jealous wonder of the world, developed, an anvazing system of responsible self-government on democratic lines. The sorest hope of its continuance is that it is a . jjatural organic development. Through centuries it has been slowly unfolding the character and purpose of a great race, and embodying in a unique political structure its ideals and inspirations. Tlios© Vho plan Empire as a conscious purpose BOem doomed to lose it. Such was the fate of Dupleix's grandiose scheme in India—such, too, thei carenfully elaborated Teutonic conspiracy of world Em pice, which; let .loose on, civilisation the cataclysm of the Great War.. J." '. „ ' The continuity of our . Empire history, surviving in added strength assault. after assaiilt and cOrisumriiatipg itself in the magnificent rally of its constituent nations in the Great War, evoking sacrificial devotion even unto, death from : its far : flung peoples, showshow fully in accord it must be with the fundamental moral laws of humanity. It is indeed the sheet-anchor of modern civilisation, and whosoeverasperses its ideals and moral merits, . isj unfit'; tyo enjoy the unique blessings of its citizenship. England has proudly constituted herself the asylum- for the political refugees of Europe. She called into existence the New World to redress the balance of the Old; At the Armada she saved Europe from the dominance of the Emneror. Philip 11. of Spain. At Ouiberon Bay and Lagos she shattered the vainglorious' attempt of France under Louis XIV. at European conquest: At Waterloo and Trafalgar she frustrated Napoleon's dreams of world conauest. At Jutland a«id in the long Vigil of the Northern seas; she saved Europe from the sterilising disaster of Teutonic Kultur. Liberty of the Individual. England has stood for liberty of the individual. She, first of nations, proclaimed by a judicial decreethata slave cannot breathe on her soil. She has ever stood for true self-government bv i»i»e people, and to Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Hungary, and, Poland she has instinctively given of her best to secure this ideal for them. She has stood for religious toldrance. Jew. Mussulman;, Hindoo, or. Buddhist, all alike are free within the Bmpire_to worship as their souls dictate. , Hpr Nayr has policWV the seas of the world,, has suppressed piracyand the slava. 4,rade, and charted the ocean fOK, the ships of, all peoples. Her Empire >has

been opan for all traders on even terms. She has stood for justice and lioneet government. The word of British Administrator is his bond, ano his people know it. She has stood tor democracy and equality of opportunity, and is steadily though painfully reacninp her goal. Some of the noblest pages in the history of Great Britain are those- which tell of protection she has given to backward peoples. Ine development of the idea of trusteeship during the Warren Hastings trial, tne abolition first of tho slave trado ana later of slavery itself, the establishment of new methods of native J" n '® jir» surely great achievements. Such methods have become tho standard or the world and have been incorporated as a model in Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations with the approval of the signatories. In spite of defects, in spite of lapses, history proves her inspiring record of service to humanity. Its frailties have always been tempered by generous and humanitarian impulses. It is historically true that her assumption of responsibilities abroad lias never been dictated by premeditated'conquest, but has generally been made with reluctance. In tho whole rarfge of world history no such glorious record can be found in any other people.