Evening star., 1921-10-02
English a. q World Language.

English is beginning to supplant. or
At any rate to take an equal place
with, French as the language OF
diplomacy and Of general cultivated
intercourse between nations. During
the war the allied and neutral ma
tions, not in Europe only. but in Asia,
started studying English with a Sc
riousness unknown before. and the
result now is: In many cases, me inc
definite substitution OF Engllsh 1or
to be taught in the schools. AS evil
dence Of the worldwide spread of
popularity Of the English language.
the London Observer publishes the
following interesting article on the
universal trend OF the English
.The most striking instance OF sub
stitution OF English for French comes
from Scandinavia" says the article.
Both in Denmark and in sweden
English is now established as the
iirst foreign language to be taught In
the place OF French in Denmark ana
Of German in Sweden. In the latter
case there has been opposition on the
part Of the large body of opinion
which is in close sympathy with Ger.
sThe Observers Berlin correspond.
emf recently wrote of the movement
in Germany. which started In Bavaria
and spread to Prussia. for the similar
substitution Of English for 1sses rsencn.
the chief foreign language In the
curriculum of the higher grade
schools, and for the teaching OF Eng
lish in the volksschule.
.The next important center OF the
to
especially in Greece and in Greek
Communities. A prominent Greek Of
Constantinople recently said, WIN
characteristic Greek optimism. ina!
within three years English would
have supplanted French tnrouenouss
had his way English would long ago
have fsured prominently In Greek
an the Italian secondary schools
English may now be chosen. believe.
as an alternative to German. nn m. SPAN. san,,s
tations during the last year or two veto to
england to report on the possibility
Of developing the English language
and English ideas in their educational
systems. In the case OF China Amer
factor in the spread Of the English
ianguaga--if American can be said 70
be English. ,.,
s.rhe new Baltic states. Ltthuania,
Ilatvia and Esthonia, and the Balkan
states, especially JuEoslaviA ana Nu-
mania, are setting up English scnoois
and csiiIng for English teaohers."
It fs undeniable that prohibition
10 beginning to be very seriousiy
dtseussed in England. Whereas Z
few years ago 1t was easily laughed
down. one now finds newspapers OF
every shade OF opinion giving much
space to discussions Of the pros ana
A good deal OF this discussion
takes the form OF letters from read
era. A prohibitionist writes In.
quoting . lot Of crime-statistics from
AmericA. An ''anti' counters the
next day, showing that the state in
question had gone dry long before
the nation, and that the compara-
tive figures therefore don't prove
Anything.
can resident Of LONDON" who has
lust returned from . visit to the
states. after many years absence. de.
works. He nnds It isn't worktns
at all and that there 10 more drink =
Ing and more drunkenness than 1T ten
years ago. This enrages another
American" who Il seems has Just
travelled from Seattle and San Fran,
cisco, to New York, stopping at al!
the principal cities en- route, and
"whiie II 10 Of course possible 70
obtain q drink" almost anywhere he
finds that fewer and fewer people