THE “ULTIMATE ALLIANCE”.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20041, 2 September 1920, Page 8

THE “ULTIMATE ALLIANCE”.

— ■ “lAN HAY” ON AN AMERICAN UNDERSTANDING. Major Beith (“ lan Hay ”) delivered a lecture in London, before the Social of U S« t w i ii VO t Blty . Tr ? inin g Bnmoa of the Yorld Association for Adult baucation, on some experiences durin-T the war. a • % stories of many interesting incidents and incidentally paid a hign tribute to the assistance which U,--American Army rendered. Physicallv'' Tl J VaS ff t !° * fiu S st * ai ; m > T ho had stem itio effort to formulate an Intonuitional League for the repression of future assaults on civilisation had tailed, for the moment, hut the scheme was bound to be revived in some form or other- No league or covenant to uphold civilisation would bo worth •■nythmg unless it found the two great English-speaking nations standing side by side, and speaking with one voice on every issue. What Britain and America must learn, and were learning, was mutual toleration and respect for ways that were not necessarily our ways Referring to his tour in America, where he delivered 400 lectures on British warfare, Mr Hay said ho was convinced of tho absolute inevitability of a Bntish-American understanding. At the present moment the two nations did not understand each other in the least. They did not want to, and for tho next six months tho turmoil of the presidential election would preclude the Americans lookinrr ouside their own country. Tho Irish voters, who represented 30 per cent of the American electorate, would have to be satisfied first It would not be until, November, when the election was settled, that they would have a chance of coming to a sensible understanding - with Ainpricr. As time went on new problems must arise, especially in the Far East, and the task of upholding Western civilisation would fall mainly on the shoulders of ourselves and America. That cooperation might not come to-day; but it would come. It was the ultimate alliance.

Lan Hay’s next book is to be caller] “The "Willing Horse,” and it will deal with the men. women and children who answered the call to " do their bit” in the first few months of the war.