“THE NEW INTERNATIONALISM”

Evening Star, Issue 18094, 9 October 1922, Page 6

“THE NEW INTERNATIONALISM”

BANKRUPT MILITARISM. Last night, at Trinity Mfjhodist Cliiu-qsF, the Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt preached to a good congregation on the vision of a warless world, taking his text from Isaiah, chapter ii., verses 3 a-nd 4. After introducing his theme, Mr Pratt spoke of the world as war weary. It was reeling from the shock of war, and tho whole fabric of society threatened to fall in ruins. The world was aghast at the ruthless sacrifice of life, tho frightfulness of conflict, and the colossal economic losses wfl.r involved. War had lifted tho veil from men’s eyes and showed the bankruptcy of militarism. Militarism had drenched the world in blood and- made earth a hideous place of skulls. War was a survival of primitive savagery, when brute force triumphed over reason. It was a blot upon civilisation- qnd a denial of a religion that sought to enthrone goodwill. The.re were those who said that the Great War showed the bankruptcy of Christianity,- and that the Church had failed because it had not prevented the scourge of war. World conditions, however, only emphasised tho value of what Christianity had to offer. Christianity was not bankrupt, for its resources had never been adequately tested. It bad not failed, for it bad nowhere yet been fully tried. The world was coming to see that If the message of Christianity bad been heeded there would have been no war. They were seeing, too, that only by the Christian way of promoting international goodwill could :m effective world peace be secured.

The fads of to-day were a challenge to build a new world order. Two great facts stood out clearly in the present, situation. First, there w’as a growing demand for self-determination. The small nations were proclaiming their right to a place in the sun and to freedom to work out their own destiny. Each ■wanted to stand by itself. Second, there was an increasing consciousness of world l solidarity. Tho sense of world unity was developing. Old barriers were being broken down. The world had become one great community. Oceans no longer separated nations, but connected them. The whole planet hadbecome accessible. Distance was annihilated. Nations long separated were now' face to face. Travel and commerce were linking )ip the whole world. The newspapers, the cables, and the wireless all operated to break down national barriers. A world mind was evolving. World interests were coming into view. World demands were leaping to light. World duties and responsibilities were emerging. A world conscience on international matters was being formed. Tho outlook of men bad become cosmopolitan and their ideals international. These facts spelt the doom of a narrow nationalism. They presaged 1 the passing of unworthy prejudices and unneighborly attitudes. They brought into view tho new internationalism.

In the past “Patriotism” had been the watchword of every nation. It had interpreted that word in the light of a narrow love. It had believed the worst of its neighbors. It had sought prosperity regardless of the rights of others. National selfishness and the clash of national interests had produced a false and pernicious patriotism. To-day called for a new spirit and a patriotism wide enough to embrace the world in its sweep. We had seen the terrible consequences of a selfish Nationalism. Such a thing had produced competition in armaments, and had nourished suspicion and fear and ill-will. If the mad nassion for armaments continued civilisation was doomed. War was becoming ever more destructive and dreadful. It was so costly that no nation could afford the present system to endure. It was inducing physical degeneracy by the slaughter of its fittest young life. The hour had come to banish war. Rational and pacific methods of settling international differences must ho found. What was needed was a Christian worldorder. All life's relationships must bo Christianised, The only practical way to secure world-pence was by fostering “the internationalism of the golden rale.” Not by bruto force but by the might, of Christian ideals would world-peace be attained. The true way to world-peace and international good-will lay in truth, righteousness, honesty, justice, and mutual helpfulness. When political expediency or economic advantage overrode these disaster and ruin were inevitable. The ideal of Christianity was universal peace. The programme of Christianity was the sotting up of a new worjd order, or, in other words, establishing the Kingdom of God, In that kingdom each nation would respect the others; each would see things from the point of view of the other; each would bo scrupulously just and fair to others; none would" seek selfish advantage; all would promote the welfare of each. Tho Church had its duty to do. H must discourage jingoism alike in Press and in Parliament. It must not, consent to bo hypnotised by statecraft and diplomacy. It must not surrender leadership to economists and jurists. It must not bo swayed by more utilitarianism nor deceived by pleas of national expediency. God knew nothing of skin colorings or racial distinctions. Men of every race wore children of one. Father. Tho sentiment for world-peace was widespread, but it needed co-ordinating and mobilising. Constructive methods must be pursued for producing international confidence and goodmil. The young must bo taught the principles of world-wide brotherhood and the application of Christian ideals to interracial problems. Ideals alone wore inadequate, for they could not realise themselves. It was for the Church to make them real, and to make Christian conviction effective in directing international policy. Mr Pratt concluded by an appeal to support the League of Nations and the World Alliance of Christian Churches for promoting international good-will.