THE GENIUS OF ENGLAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 December 1925, Page 3

THE GENIUS OF ENGLAND

'A five years war was found <K- ralising in count! ics whose existence had been one long preparation for it ; what did it mean to England, wholly unprepared to meet the . ordeal ?' "'asks Mr Stephen Owyn, in the Spectator, dis cussing the question "What is wron" with England'/ - ' ■'One eTect is tbaL nigh arm' low alike. Englishmen hove somewhat lost faith'i n their own traditions They are no longer certain thai t)i? English way is the best way. They do no! even know when thev have done right. Tli" most characteristic ait ion of England since the war was a settlement with America. Logically, there is a tremendous case to he made against ii • friends of Kngland in France sav i| has greatly increased the difficulties' in An-glo-French relations. Bin i| was thEnglish thing to <!„. England |, :ls , lnl yet. learnt to be proud of it-becanso Kngland has lost her self-reliance. What is wrong with, England is morallv sneaking, a tendency to over-rale her own dis v o'der and under-rato her actual powder resistance. There are revolutionary symptoms. r,o doubt. But ] see no reason to doubt (hat once more the tridi Honal genius of England will asset! "sell A wave of emotion or resen,menl may carry her people |.,» (he brink of a precipici ; but when other herds go over the steep place, the English at the last moment always dig their feet in