THE AMERICAN NOTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15807, 2 January 1915, Page 4

THE AMERICAN NOTE.

Nobody supposes for a moment that there is any likelihood of quarrel between Britain and America, although German intrigue and trickery is excelling itself in the effort to cause strained relations between the English-speaking countries. The influence of intelligent and patriotic citizens is becoming great enough in both countries to prevent the mad follies which often result from popular misunderstanding and misconception. The great difficulty lies in our educational systems, which in Britain and the British Dominions, as in the American states, wofully waste time and weary scholars in teaching the young a medley of strange mental tricks while leaving them almost totally ignorant of their national and racial history. This condition of ignorance is pronounced enough among the British, but among the Americans is really appalling. The long working hours of the United States, the cosmopolitan character of its people, the crude methods by which this cosmopolitan people has been Americanised, the absence of a common and generally accepted literary standard and the amusing manner in which so many Americans "specialise" in their reading as in their occupations have ail contributed to the formation of the colossal American self-centredness. The Sunday newspaper, with its sheafs of supplements and its weird pages of bedaubed illustrations, is

representative of millions who vote and thereby cause endless worry to those who govern. While politicians can appeal to ignorant millions and unscrupulous German secret service agents arrange with politicians, wo must expect any little friction arising between America and Britain to be exaggerated and emphasised. But even Mr. Wilson is not incompetent enough to permit a quarrel to be i'orced upon us or little difficulties which among friends can be easily settled to be made the grounds of, bitter future animosity.