THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING RACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18851, 2 May 1923, Page 11

THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING RACE

PRIME MINISTER’S HOPE,

ANGLO-AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP,

(Feom Oue Own Corbbspondent.) LONDON, February 23 Yesterday was the anniversary of George Washington’s birthday, and the Englishspeaking Union celebrated the occasion with a luncheon given in honour of the Prime Minister, Mr Bonar Law. Anyone who had not previously come into touch with this organisation would certainly have been surprised at its evident power- and popularity. Some 700 guests were present— an unusual number for a luncheon in London, —and these included many people whose names are house hold words on both sides of the Atlantic. British dominions, should all have been represented, .but Sir James Allen had been temporarily indisposed, and' was reserving himself for a meeting of the Special Committee of the British Emprc Exhibition in tbo afternoon. The Prime Minister, though reported to be in good health, showed evident signs of care, anxiety, and overwork. Major the Hon. J. J. Astor, M;P., presided. Major Aster, a younger brother of Viscount Astor, was originally in the Ist Life Guards. Ho lost a leg in the war. Since then he has come into prominence by entering and obtaining a controlling' interest in The limes The principal toast was ” The King and the President,” and the guests remained standing l while the “National Anthem and the “ Star Spangled Banner wer© being played by the band. CONSTRUCTIVE CO-OPERATION,

Mr Evelyn Wrench read the following message from the Hon. John W. Davis (formerly American Ambassador at the Court of at. James), President of the English-speaking Union of the United States; “ New York, February 10. The English-speaking Union of the United States congratulates the English-speaking Union of the British Empire upon having the British Prim© Minister as its guest at its Washington's birthday luncheon. As Americans, we truly appreciate your high observance of this great. anniversary W© respond with deepest hope and confidence that all the English-speaking peoples will continue to work together for the establishing of peace and goodwill and constructive co-operation throughout this now sorely troubled world.” The Chairman said that with the broader vision of our times, Englishmen could judge truly George Washington as a man and a statesman, seeing in him not only the father of a people nearest in kin to themselves, but one of the great heroes of their race. Mr Bonar Law was the head of a Government of which ©ven its detractors could not deny its patriotism, honesty, and sincerity. They realised that in present conditions the most stable factor in an unstable world was Anglo-American friendship, and Mr Bonar Law had earned the full confidence of those who saw the brightest hopes of civilisation in a good understanding between the English-speaking peoples. In expressing his convictions and intentions, ho used the clean currency of English. Let him be as plain and direct as ho liked, and the English-speaking peoples would trust him all the more. A BRITISH HERO.

It w«« an instance, said the Prime Minister in reply, of which there were many, of the magnanimity of the British people that over 150 years since the struggle took place they could welcome the name of George Washington, who took from us v/hat was now the great Republic of the West, and look upon hipi rather as a British Jrero than as an enemy.—(Laughter.) The common language was an immense asset to a common understanding. It made it easy, but, of course, other things had to bo added. Men of their race all over the world took a vital part in the greatest event in the history of the world; they all fought in the war, and nil fought on the same side. There was nothing but praise and’ glory fox the part played by tho Motherland in that struggle; for the Navy; for young, men who were the spear-head; for those at home, and especially the women, who were the shaft; for tho Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and South Africans ; and for the response of Americans. Those who knew him knew the great part played by the late Mr Walter H. Page, and tho v sincerity and reality of the views he expressed throughout the war. Our Constitution lent itself to such an emergency. Tlie position of the Prime Minister, appointed by the Ring and who himself appointed his colleagues, lent itself to what was one of the wise decrees of the Romans, that in time of war there should be a dictatorship, and advantage was taken of that. The other branch.- of the Englishspeaking people had not that advantage, but a rigid. Constitution. UNITED STATES AND THE OLD WORLD. America, through her President, played a great part in tho Treatyof Peace, but it was found that the President had misunderstood his people, and when he went back they rejected his work, and, in spite. of the part they took"*in winning the war and framing the peace, they withdrew and left it as it ■was. “I am not going,” continued Mr Bonar Lav;, “to estimate what was the effect. It fs incalculable. In my belief, if circumstances had so arranged it that America could have played her part in tho peace settlement as she played it in tho war, the world would be in a much bettor position to-day. I think that truth has entered, or is entering, into the minds of the great American people. I hop© and believe that it has entered the minds of the great American Government, and that when ths opportunity offers that Government will no longer stand aloof from tho troubles of the Old World. Mr Page, of whom I cannot speak too highly—for I know by firsthand knowledge what th 4 world knows by the book as to the great part which he played in the war—spoke always of what would come after the war, and what he looked forward to was union in action, as well a© in thought, of the English-speaking peoples of the world. It is not, I think, too much to hope that that union may come. I have taken down the words used hy Mr Page about the character of tho two peoples. They are true words. He says: ‘Our standards of character, and of honour, and of duty are your standards, and life and freedom have the same meaning to us that they have to you. These are the essential things, and in these we have always been one.’ It is a great work for such a body as that represented here to make the peoples —not the Governments—of the_ two countries understand each other, and it is not too ■much to hope that tho time may com© when these aspirations of Mr Page will be an accomplished fact.”