Great Britain -- Relations -- United States; United States -- Relations -- Great Britain
Our third basis of Anglo-Saxon solidarity is, then, harmony of ideals
among the nations of the English-speaking world. Great Britain is drawn
to us, the self-governing dominions are drawn to us, and we are drawn
to Great Britain and the self-governing dominions because we have
common ideals. And there will be no _rapprochement_ unless this is so.
Consequently, if we are honestly working for Anglo-Saxon solidarity
and not simply setting forth sugared "pap" for public consumption,
we shall on both sides tackle courageously shortcomings in following
ideals not because we love to criticize, but because this is the
only way we can remove sources of friction that threaten to disrupt
Anglo-Saxon solidarity. In regard to Germany, Great Britain has acted
admirably, and is living up to her ideals of fair play and of not
kicking the other fellow when he is down. In regard to Ireland, on
the other hand, we have a question that must be settled before genuine
good feeling is established among the Anglo-Saxon states. Speaking for
Ireland and not against her is the highest wisdom for the Anglo-Saxon
propagandist in the United States. It proves that he himself believes
in the Anglo-Saxon heritage of which he boasts, and that he is anxious
to remove one of the greatest obstacles to Anglo-American friendship.
We are not going to get anywhere in our propaganda for Anglo-Saxon
solidarity unless we emphasize the common idealism and strive to
make the association of Anglo-Saxon nations a committee for giving
Anglo-Saxon liberties to the whole world. This thought came to me with
peculiar force when I stood on the spot in the Moses Taylor Pyne
estate where are buried those who fell in the Battle of Princeton. On a
bronze tablet are inscribed the words of Alfred Noyes:
Here freedom stood by slaughtered friend and foe,
And, ere the wrath paled, or that sunset died,
Looked through the ages, then, with eyes aglow,
Laid them to wait that future, side by side.
The "future, side by side" of English-speaking countries can mean only
working for the spread of freedom. We shall not help each other to deny
freedom to others, and if we did join in an Anglo-Saxon freebooting
expedition across the world, we should quickly follow the law of
pirates and be at each other's throats.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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