The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1926. THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19733, 30 December 1926, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1926. THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION

The honorary organiser for the English-Speaking Union, Mrs A. de Castro, is paying a visit to ’Wanganui and preparing the ground for the establishment of a branch of the Union in the city. During the past eighteen months she has been able to arouse enthusiasm in a number of Australian and New Zealand centres and form branches of the Union, and when the time comes for Wanganui to fall into line with these places no doubt Mrs de Castro will have a similar experience. This city is not at all likely to lag behind other Dominion centres when it has an opportunity to put its ounce of effort into a movement which is creating keen interest in British countries as well as in the United States of America.

The English-Speaking Union is, of course, concerned entirely, so far as its organisation goes, with the British and American peoples, though its ultimate objectives embrace the whole world. Membership is open to British subjects the world over and to citizens of the United States, and there are two main branches, the British Empire Union and the United States Union. The English-Speaking Union was actually launched on July 4, 1918, and soon afterwards the Atlantic Union, founded in 1897, was amalgamated with it. ‘ Earl Balfour is the president of the British Empire Union, which numbers among its officers and members many men and women whose names are well-known in the public life of Britain and the Dominions. The English-Speaking Union, its sponsors point out, does not aim to spread the use of the English language throughout the world. It has nothing to do with politics. What it has to do with is the friendship of two great peoples. Their language is the common heritage of Britains and Americans, and that is obviously a strong foundation upon which to build international friendship. Starting from that basis the Union is endeavouring to bring Britons and Americans into closer touch with each, other, so that each people may learn to know the other better and to appreciate the other’s qualities. It is patent that such an aim as this cannot be left to chance to achieve; there must be some organised effort to unite two great peoples in a common endeavour, and the Engine-Speaking Union, provided it embraces a sufficient number of the individuals in the two nations, will be the proper organisation to direct the effort. Already the Union has made notable progress in the way of establishing bonds between Britain and America. A generous gift made by Lord Rothermere through the Union has enabled the. foundation of the Chair of American History at Oxford University. Under the terms of a splendid endowment by an American banker, the ]ate Henry P. Davidson, students from Oxford and Cambridge are now given an opportunity to spend some time in America’s greatest universities. Practical efforts of this kind cannot fail to bring the two nations into closer relationship.

But what is to be the result of the spread of goodwill and friendship throughout the English-speaking world? Each of the two great peoples concerned will certainly benefit, and as ihey become more closely united the whole world will benefit. The British and American people form a chain around the world. Surely their united strength can become the greatest agency for the peace of humanity and the progress of civilisation that the world has ever known. Comradeship, brotherhood, peace for the English-speaking nations and for all nations—• these are the aims of the English-Speaking Union. Who would dare to say that these aims are not worthy of support?