The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1925. RACIAL SUPERIORITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1925. RACIAL SUPERIORITY.

In tlit' course of a very interesting article under the above heading, Dr E. •I. Stickey, B.Sr., 0.11. K. writes that belief in their own superiority is natural to all peoples. It is part of the religion of the Jews; they are the •‘chosen ] cople," and all other nations are lumped together as Gentiles. The Greek in his pride of intellect revolted at the- uncouth speech of others, and 'ailed them liarharians. The Chinese called their land “Chung Kuo" (the .Middle Kingdom) under the conviction that China via- really the “huh of the universe." and that all other kings were vassals of their Emperor. The sails of the vessels whi h Imre the embassy tinder Lord Macartney up the river to Peking in li"!).j were painted with the words “Tribute-hearers from the country of England.’’ The reply of the Emperor Chien Lung to King George 111. was couched in the following words:—“Von. () King, live hevong the confines of many .seas: nevertheless impelled by your humble desire to partake of the benefits of our civilisation. you have despatched a mission respectfully hearing your memorial. . .

It behoves you. f) King, to resj>eet my sentiments and to display even greater devotion and loyalty in the future, so that, by perpetual submission to our Throne, you may secure peace and prosperity for your country hereafter. . Tremble and obey." We smile at such presumption, hut it. is no more absurd than the megalomania of the nation which planned to thrust its “knltur’’ by force of arms upon the rest of the world. Psychologists are continually insisting in these days on the disastrous affects of an “inferior-ity-complex’’ upon fin individual. His natural activities are repressed, so that he is unable to accomplish any good work, and the repressed activities are apt to explode in some anti-social action. “Give us a good conceit of ourselves’’ is a legitimate prayer, hut it has its dangers. It was an acute observer of human nature who said. “Conceit- does not consist in having a good opinion of yourself, hut in expecting the rest of the world to have the same good opinion." What is true of individuals is largely true of nations. No nation ever became prominent in the affairs of the world which was not proud of it® distinctive

culture and confident development of civilisation. A rational patriotism is the birthright of every nation, but it must he associated with a recognition of and respect for the rights of others. ' Patriotism which is not balanced by a sane internationalism rapidly degenerates; into jingoism, junkcrism and chauvinism. Uncial superiority is sometimes blatantly proclaimed, but more often taken for granted. We ourselves often resent the “.spread-eagle-ism'' of a certain type of American, but there is a large element of truth in the retort of an American : “Von British think you are the greatest people in the world; we Americans say we are." Whether expression or implaid. this attitude of racial superiority is one of the fundamental causes of racial bitterness. Against this attitude Asia is in revolt to-day. One o( the most distressing episodes at the Institute of Pacific Relations at Honolulu was the session in which the Orientals were given an opportunity of telling incidents in which they had been made to slider Iron) this assumption of racial superiority. One instance will suffice. A doctor ol law- ol Y ale I Diversity. who drosses in European style, entered a foreign store in Hankow to make a purchase. He approached one of the foreign assistants in the store and asked for the article required. This man looked at him. saw he was a Chinese, and then called one of the Chinese assistants to attend to him. This lawyer told us with a grim smile : “I jingled the dollars in my pocket to let him know what ho had missed, and walked out of the shop." I lie .lapanose group were extremely frank in their expression of the resentment which is felt by the whole of the Japanese jH'ople at the latest Immigration. Restriction Aci ot the Tutted States. They are prepared to admit the light of any country to restrict the immigration of the labouring classes, even to the poi nt of almost absolute exclusion. Inil. they ask that it shall he done by treaty or mutual agreement, and in terms which shall not offend their national “amour propre" They resent being classed with the inferior races. As one Japanese expressed it. “Kverv n.an is at liberty to dose his own door, hut it is unnecessary to slam it in the face of a friendly neighbour." Ihe son-e ol racial superiority is an acquired and not. a mutual attitude of mind. Children are free from it. Children have a natural fncilitv fur overcoming the difficulties raised by national pride. On the basis of cranial capacity, scientists adjudge the Mongolian races to he superior to the Caucasian. The present predominance of the Western mil ions in the world is due mainly to the command of the forces of nature gained through

scientific discovery. Other races are rnpidlv iissimil'ii ing this knowledge of the West, and are prepared to dispute the claim that our mechanical achievements are conclusive evidence ef the innate superiority of the white rates. Tliev sometimes make the ironic reminder that they are willing to ent'e.-J to ie superiority in the art of killing men on a large scale, '-ft is a huge and unjustified assumption that the hirgelv materialist ie. iiidust rinlised. and militarised civilisation of the West : s | lie filial or highest expression of the human spirit, and that other peoples unist lie judged bv its standards.”