The White Man's Burden.

Southland Times, Issue 19725, 27 January 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

The White Man's Burden.

John Bull ; Good morning, Mr Atlas. Vou look a bit worried. How's the Bui'den ? Atlas ; Well, you see, John, the Burden isn't so much the world us the people otk it. Squabbling here, wrangling there; there seems to be no end to it. And to tell you the truth, I'm getting tired. J.B. : Is there nothing that I can do ’.’ Atlas ; Well, there is ! J don't like armaments, which is just what I am complaining about ; but there is use in tho British Navy if it is properly applied. I suggest, therefore, that you act tho schoolmaster, call the ships out, rap your desk, you see, and so make an impression oi authority. J.B. ; I shall do so- 1 shall call out the entire fleet, tell it to imagine itself on the brink of war, and ask the world to undo its mailed list and feel my sea-muselo. Atlas : That’s good. And howmany ships will there be ’.’ J.B. ; Four hundred or so. 'Atlas : Four, hundred I Why, you could, if you liked, about settle the lot of ’em. Anyhow, you can do enough to keep them in order. But isn’t this very costly work V J.B. ; It is ! Very costly ! And tho truth is I have to bear nearly all tho cost myself. A trifle from the colonies of course, but only a trifle. Allas'- Well, John, I'm not too sure that you go the right way about things. What was that some Admiral of yours advised the other day—to deal with the navy ot one Bower, and smash it up while you can in case it becomes so strong that when you must you can t. - J.B. : Oh, I couldn’t do that. .Its opposed to rules. Atlas : Fiddlesticks ! l>idn t Nelson smash up tho Banish fleet because* it was thought it might be used against you, not because it was being used ? J.B. : That's true in a way. Atlas’. Book here, why don't you arrange things with your 1 ouva in America. John and Jonat’.v.n, international Sea Police. Tho whole British and United States Empire.

Two lingo Hoots not to make war but to prevent it, and start, a now idoa—decree tho maximum home defence Hoots oi tho others, and foroo tho dismantlement oi the rest. .1.11. : That’s original.

Atlas: lly St. George, iis just what 1 should like. Trout the ocean as a neutral empire, and you two >'iiaraiiloo its doiouco. And the quickest way to do that would be lo clip the sea-claws of tho rest. J .11. ; Hut tho cost V

Allas '• Vou make mo tired, mote tired than 1 uui already. Oaii’t you see that the cost would bo o\ou loss than now. It is not your necessity that costs you so much na'ally, but the jealousy oi the others. .) 11. ; Even so ; wouldu Lit be rather rough on Jonathan and myself to have to do this for nothing . Atlas : For goodness' sake, have sense. Who suggested it V Unco you get the .whole thing in your hands, you and Jonathan, you could su>’ this ; ” Look here, sve don’t want this navy lor ourselves but for you. We will therefore make it an Intel - ualiotial charge. We'll pay our sluinj but everyone else must also pay then share ! Sec V

) J.B. ; That’s the most 1 ever proposed with my own Empire. All to pay, and 1 to police. But the schema is too big, Mr Atlas. I Atlas : No ; you only think so because it is bigger than what you arc doing already. The British Empue | would have been thought too big a hundred years ago. I J.B. : So you think that is the right way to deal with the Burden ’ Atlas : Positive ; and the only thing about it that 1 can't understand is that you didn’t see it alici Trafalgar and keep it going. never have let 'em build aggressive (Heels again. By St. George, wouldn’t 1

J.B. ; Well, some day L may talk it over with Jonathan, and sec if there is anything in it. Perhaps circumstances will force us to talk it over, and I hope then that it won t be too late. Atlas : I hope not.; but procrasuI nation is the thief of security.