The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-10
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

| Many societies will be born through,
 out the world on account of the great
 war. but none of greater significance
 than the Hnslish-speakins union. The object of it being te draw to-
 gethsr in the bond of eomradeship the
 Ensiish speaking peoples of the world
 It had It's birth in England on July 4 1918. and has established headquarters
 In Washington, D. C., and London, Ens-
 land.
 The Right Honorable A. J, BalfouT
 is the British president Of the Eng- fish h-speaking union, jointly with ex- President Taft. the American presi- dent. Mr. Balfours visit to America
 during the war at the head of the Brit
 ish mission. developed keen interest
 in his personality and achievements, i both as a philosopher and states 1 man. .-..- Fresh from the congress of ths | league of nations in Atlanta, where fer | two days I was under the commanding 1 influence of ex-President Taft, I think
 It entirely fitting on account of his great services to the cause of English . | speaking unity that he was made the | American representative in such a far-reaching scheme to selidify the Anglo-saxons throughout the world.
 The great underlying feet of the
 union is well stated by Mir. Balfeur. | who says: "It is impossible for 1 Englishmen to look at America with
 sympathetic eyes, and hope it is iln- possible for Americans to look at Great
 Britain with sympathetic eyes, without | feeling that we have that in common
 which I will not say separates us from
 the aen-English- speaking races, but which does make a distinction. It Is impossible not to feel that it is iH- possible to define, but I have always felt that, and I suspect. whether they acknowledge it or not, almost all thn English speaking races do feel that" Mir Balfour goes on to say: Tt does not prevent us passing on each other little criticisms, and seeing the hu- morous side of our foolish feibles, but behins all that and as foundation of all that, there Is that fundamental sentiment which is the only true foun- dation of that international union that [ hope to see permanently established and upon which base all my hopes for tha futurA,,
 set this forth with the prayer that it
 may be a corrective for the shallow. of those who influenced by the per- nIcious German propasanda before. during and since the war, to create an impression that America had more to fear from England than she has from that, nation which wantonly conflict because it was jealous of the
 growing power of the British empire. Mir. Balfour gets down to the root of the matter, the thing which gives genuine concern to the defeated Teu- ton whose supermen went forth armed
 with all the modern enginery of war
 to conquer territory and set up kul- tur to replace the good old English l ideals of justice, rock-ribbed in tho tradition of fair play. and based on | the belief that might does not make right---for the great English states+ man saw that the only way to defeat
 the imperialistic dreams of the Ho- henzollerns was to offset it with a
 union of English speaking peoples. Listen to his clarion call, for in thinking of America he says: ''rhat we shall always be friendly countries do not doubt. but that does not con. tent me in the least I want some thing more than that, I want every l member, every citizen of the British
 empire. whether he lives in this small island or whether he belongs to ths great British dominion over the seas. and every citizen of the great Amerl- can republic. to feel that they are joint trustees for civilization and the world.
 of those principles of peace and lihel- ty for which we are all struggling at this moment"
 Now, it aeems to me that this ia Q worthy programme and one "deyout- 1 ly to be wished for" and with the seer statesman. l too can see the time when all the small natisns will instinctively
 laek, and not leck in vain, to the all- powerful pretaatieR of the interRa- | tienal arrangements of which the 1 heart. the very heart and core will he the union of soul. the union of santi-
 ment, the union of belief of the great, free. English speaking commit nity new scattered over the whole world.
 am for the Easllsh speaking un- 1 ion because 1t aims at increasing tae kRewladge of ane another possessed by the English speaking peoples, It aims at no formal allianee, it has
 nothing to de with governments, but 1 is merely an attempt to promote good ] fallewship among the English speak 1 ing dsmocracies of the world. Tho
 great London Times said editarislly;
 This union bids isir to rank forever
 amongst the great historic landmarks
 in the moral and peliticsl history ct manktHd."
 l In their common language, common
 sympathies, common traditions and ! common ideals the English speakinr