The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-11-07
RIDER CASTlGATES
ENGLISH AUTHORS
by HERMAN BIDDER

like its predecessors, throws the whole
blame for the war on the German En-
peror.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle arises from
a sick bed to read Nietzche and Treit-
schke and discovers that Germany has
produced nothing in the last forty
years but "the literature of the devil"
and that Nietzsche and Treitschke
"with their magic flutes led the whole,
blind, foolish, conceited nation down
that easy, pleasant path which ends in
this abyss"
A galaxy of English writer's have
syndicated their mental efforts and
published "round-robin" impressive
in verbage but of no great value eX-
cept insofar as it shows that England,
true to nothing else, is faithful still to
her historic love of fighting with the
per in preference to the sword. IT
welding could win battles Eng
land would rule the world.
England has cleverly avoided the
discussion of her mongrel allies. We
hear but little of Russia, of Servia and
of Japan. A glance at the bombastic
war literature of England and the
speeches of Mr.. Asquith and Winston
Churchill leads to the question: as
England ashamed of her allies ?"
Britain COndoned Alsace Taking
An occasional reference to the rape
of Alsace," which the British Govern
ment condoned at the conclusion of the
war of 1870 and the "Times" of Lon
don characterized as pure business
sense, is about all we hear of or see to-
day on anything but England. Even
the violation of Belgium's neutrality,
against which Sir Edward Grey was
once so loud in his protest, has ceased
TO be able to keep Belgium in the Eng
fish mind. "The unfortunate compan-
ionship," to borrow a phrase of Col
onel Watterson, with Russia cost
Great Britain two of her ablest Cabi-
net members and | presume the less
said about it the better pleased the
British Government is. Servia, too, is
a silent partner.
With all their faults Englishmen do
not like to mix with regicides, unless
they have something to gain by it, and
then they prefer not to have too much
publicity given to the fact. The Rus
slams and Servans and Japanese are
good enough to fight England's bat
ties for her, but for little else.
When John Morley and John Burns
resigned from the Br,dsh Government
as a protest against the alliance with
Russia to crush Germany the fact was
probably delegated from the despat-
ches to st. Petersburg.
The Indian Immigration to South
Africa can be treated with impuniCY
and even the Japa ,ese, told by Canada
and Australia 'ney are not wanted
there, are notified by their British
ally.
But it is scarcely to be expected that
England would attempt the same pat
ronizing tactics with Russia. 1t speaks
more than volumes fu; the hope ess in
consistency of Great Britain in this
war Of freedom against militarism'
that among the allies. which she has
summoned t. her colors to serve her
ends. are some of whom she bushes TO
speak,
No nation has been the subject If
British villification in the past to a
greater extent than Russia, no nation
more deserving of the Just castigation
Of true Englishmen. And, yet, today
we find this same Russia and this same
England fighting shoulder to shoulder
and sharing each others bread and
salt.
Abandon Old Hatce; of Russia.
The one thing the British Govern
ment should do before all others is ia
make it clear 20 candid world on
what it bases its present attitude tC-
ward Russia and the consequent aban,
donment of its historical hatred Is il
simply the hope of crushing Ger
many? Then let the British Govern
ment say so and in so many words.
And if this is the basis of the Rus
sian entente it should make it clear At
the same time what it is going to do
with Russia when Germany has been
crushed Is the British Government
so imbued with its own self Importance
that it can dalude itself into thinking
that the world will not judge its words
by its actions?
If this is a war of freedom against
despotism, and only England claims ii
is, are we to be asked to believe that
the substitution of Russia for Ger
many as the dominant Power in Cen
trail Europe would promote its pur-
pose?
A nation that has always stood in
the minds of Englishmen as the last
expression of all that was autocratc
and despotic, anachronic and barbar-
Gus, cannot consistently be brought
forward by England at this eleventh
hour as a sanctuary ur enlightenment
But that is what England would have
US believe.
Or. perhaps, when the war is over
she will kiss the Little Father on both
cheeks, in true Russian fashion, anc
send him and his knout-driven hordes
back to Petrograd. One might almost
forgive England her sins if such were
her intentions. But they are not.
Bushes At Own Perfdy.
The Cossack may not be gooc
enough to welcome in London, the En-
glishman may blush at his name bu
he, and for that matter, anyone, i:
good enough to assist into Berlin, ant
once there it is more than likely tina
he will not fold his tents and move
away at the bidding of George or o.
Georges Government.
1t is no wonder that England blushe
her oun porGIy Wbo,,