PILGRIMAGE TO WASHINGTON'S HOME.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3132, 28 August 1922, Page 2

PILGRIMAGE TO WASHINGTON'S HOME.

- (lsv Hiirold Spender.)

A journey.from Hcdindon to Snlgnive carries you across that soft, green, rolling country which was once the granary of England; and ex-L’rewidcnt Taft could not have had a more characteristics g!ini)»-o of our English countryside. America’s present Chief Justice was in merry and genial mood. He boldly told us that George Washington was an Englishman: that all Iris virtues wore English, and that he beat ns with the power of his English tradition. We like to hear all that: it takes off the edge of that old defeat. The American Ambassador threw back the ball to the genial Chief Justice with a quick arid pard-liko spirit which is all' his own. Mr Harvey played an admirable second to Mr Taft in the symphony of reconciliation. To all this the English country crowd, smiling back at the smiling Americans, listened with merry bursts of hearty laughter ; and the little meeting under the trees here on the smooth lawns of the old Manor House, and gathered round the old chestnut and walnut trees recalled some old gathering of the English village people, the common ancestors of English and American. The more serious note was there, too and one felt that the William Howard Taft who gave us the Arbitration Treaty is still the same Taft to-day—-eager for peace and closer union between the English-speaking peonies. Sir Charles Wakefield and Sir Sidney bee were the two spokesmen of the Pritish people, and they did their work well. Sir Charles seized the occasion to present to the American ex-Presi-dent the panels of the Washington pew. which he generously bought when ho saw it put up for sale in the public Press. Put by a happy understanding be gave it with the condition that the Americans should put it up again in the Snlgrave Church, in the very corner where Lawrence Washington worshipped. close to the place where he lies beneath the brasses —which will also bo restored. Thus gradually does Snlgrave become more and more a fitting place of pilgrimage for British and American alike. The little parish church —soon to' be cleared of flic weeds and nettles winch now'surround it—will gradually become a shrine to the union of the people. The Manor House itself is now beautifully furnished with old oak chairs and tables. There are many engravings ami busts of George Washington. It is. a treasure-house of memories. But the most telling memory of all—the memory that draws all American eyes—is contained in the Washington coat of arms cut in stone over the Elizabethan door. Here are the two stars and the two stripes, which are. without doubt, the origins of the American (lag of today— the “Stars and Stripes.” The present flag contains the stars of the L’i original revolting colonies. Altogether it was a charming afternoon. a meeting of peace and understanding. and in pleasant English summer weather, amid the calm of central England. If sentiment counts for anything in human affairs, the sentiments that are born on such a day ought to bear some part in closer common action and policy. This is the first lime an ex-President of the United States lias visited the grand old English home of the Meshington family of 400 years ago. Snoring, talking in one’s sleep, or otherwise disturbing the family’s and neighbors’ peace after i a.m. will be declared unlawful and punishable by prescribed penalties under a Bill introduced in Oaklaliotna (I’.S.A.) Mouse ol Pepresen I a I i ves. German philatelists are said to be adopting a system of passive protest to signify their grief over the loss of Germany’s cherished colonies. On the last of their album pages devoted to stamps of the' former German possessions they are inserting facsimile sheets of German colonial stamps in the familiar “I lolicnzollern” design, but printed wit ii a deep border. A Berlin (inn is doing an enormous business in these “mourning stamps” amongst Ibe patriotic stamp collectors of the l*'al bcrland. The Bishop of Ipswich (Lngland) lias 02 motor cars at his disposal, lent to him on particular days by members of bis diocese to take him on his journeys through the diocese. “A quick lunch is bad— and to think a lot alter it is even worse.” Tlww one of the axioms of “Life and Health,” laid down by Sir BobeiT Armstrong Brown, at Gresham College (London). Others arc : —“Eat a bit of everything—meal and vegetable; fat and lean. And never sleep with a closed window.” “Take regular exercise. The three best forms for the average person arc eithoi walking, swimming, or cycling.” “Insure yourself, and make a will. No one ever died any the sooner because they bad insured their lives or made their will.”