NATIONALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1387, 20 November 1918, Page 8

NATIONALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM.

(By Bernard Bosauquet, r.nthov of "The Philosophical 'I !IC-01'.\ ol liu" State.") We see ii su constantly; two ideals, both excellent, bolli indued, necessary. Yet in times of excitement thoy ace set against each other, and instead of reinforcing each other, as oi course they ought, they beconio "Like two spent swimmers, that do cling together, And choke their art." It is heart-breaking to a student, whose business ii is to see connections, especially if he i- under impeachment, however he may rosenl it, thai ho has ehumpioned tlio one in tlic rejection of tho other. And ii is.-o Irif»'<*- It is only to note how ideas grow: how they*push forth the flower and fruit that were in them all along. Our nation, our country, our State —England, say; what has it always stood for to those vho loved il right? For more things" than I ear, tell; but for these at least, honesty, justice, liberty. Of course, wo wore stupid and ignorant-, and often we thought that we alono.stood for these; and, so thinking, we sinned, and look their name in vain. But for all that, «i> stood for them; wo helped Greece, and admitted that- we wronged America. "England has always meant the cause of humanity; so' has every nation, so far us ii saw and fought for a true good. All saw the good differently; in the house of humanity are many mansions; but all saw some of ii, not in themselves alone, and knew darkly that they were there to see it and to champion il. Well; things are getting clearer now, and England begins to mean niore definitely what it has always meant. Our best men—and the world's best men throughout our crusaders' league—tell us, ''You must, learn to accept limitations; to pill Up with things you may nol like, and with more perhaps than yon now anticipate." Of course they are right, and those, if any. who think with me will follow them to the end. It is only to see and follow what Kngland has always meant —honesty, justice, liberty; did we ever seriously mean that they were- for us and for none else? Surely, never. And now to be English means at lea?* to belong to tho British Commonwealth. II means, that is, all it evei did mean, and thai, too; nol less, but so infinitely more. To be Australian, 100, and Canadian, and ad of them; they, too, mean to belong lo the British Commonwealth, and they, too, mean all they meant before, and more, infinitely more. And the further vistas open out, till expansion of the same meaning; to belong to the British Commonwealth will mean belonging to the League of Humanity; tho great values and qualities are. to display themselves and to show their full bearing for mankind Is all this hotile to "the State';" Where did the question come from, "What is man's soul for?" and the answer, "To live well','" From- the first great book on the State, did il not '.' Not the soul of Creek or .lew, but the soul of man. Sovereignty will lino' it hard to accept limitations? Hard, very likely; Sovereignty i- there to do hard things. To find your own sou], in helping I lie soul of man: Loth of them are hard things; but easier together, surely, than apart. Are they in antagonism'.' 1 think not.—Westminster Gazette.