Evening star., 1921-10-29
Editorial Digest
A Congressional Medal in West.
Minister Abbey.


Because alrs we'll that ends we'll
the American press good-humoredly
pardons the British bungling" of
Americas desire to decorate Britain's
unknown hero" that for a time
threatened to develop "a tart Incl.
dent" as the Augusta Chronicle puts
it. Rather. our editors dwell on the
friendly spirit that was manifested
when the belated ceremonies at
Westminster Abbey finally took place
and conclude that the Significance OF
the event was deepened by the proof
that ill-feeling between the two
countries cannot get very far.
Wars have been fought over less
serious breaches than the seeming
disinterest which Britain showed In
our offer of the highest American
honor for her unnamed son. the
Grand Rapids Herald observes. and
the amity existing between Washing
ton and London that this affair meyer
approached the proportions OF
serious break" 1t was only q m g.
take" the Cleveland Plain Dealer
finds, perhaps after all; a fortun1te ;te
British have outdone themselves In
their demonstrations of friendship
and appreciation" Certainly, the re-
ception given Gen. Pershing and his
coterie. the Houston Post thinks. was
submerge all 'in-foeling' that may
have arisen over the British gov
,rnment's tardiness in making ar
rangements for the ceremonies"
That the hands s-across- sea "a
high relief on this occasion the
ble," and "such manifestations of
good feeling" prove to the Boston
Transcript that the supposed en-,
nifty between the United States and
tieth century at least, to the realm
of pure myth" At any rate, the
New York Times feels that "at the
moment when the greatest and most
lasting cause OF misunderstanding
and irritation between Great Britain
and the United States seems about
to be removed. this symbolism of the
substantial sympathy and good feel
ing that exist between the two cOun-
tries is especially grateful and gra-
cious."
Americans may not-in fact, most
phase of British imperial policy" but
even the attitude OF this country
toward 1.-The course of successive
British governments in regard to Ire.
land" ought not. in the opinion OF
the Rochester Times Union. blind us
to the fact that the interests and
points of view of the two great Eng
lish- h-speaking peoples are to a great
e tent identical" and the paper In
terprets the ceremonies at Westmin-
ster as "Tnore than reminiscence: !:
they are a new dedication of the
two nations to the cause of peace
Under the inspiration of those cere-
monies. the Indianapolis News be-
Ilieves. at ought to be possible for the
two nations to confer a great bless
ing on the world-namely. relie'
from the burden Of armament and
! more assured peace" for the old
unity Of allied and associated ma
tions, which seemed likely to be at
least strained. ought to be the more
firmly knit as a result OF that solemn
whose grave Pershing decorated with
the congressional medal died "in the
cause for which the Washington con-
ference is called" says the Anaconda
Standard. ito destroy militarism. to
release nations from the ever-in-
creasins burden of armament. to in
stitute a reign Of law in the world
in the place of the rule Of force"
And III the lives that were given
for that common purpose can be a
means of bringing nations closer to
each other" the Omaha World-Her-
aid believes. "they shall not have died
in vain" But the world must strive
to make the spirit that dominates
this exchange of honors the spirit
that shall govern in other matters"
The services in Westminster Abbey
mark an occasion FOR hopefulness
among the people Of both nations.
the World-Herald continues, for they
point to a day when nations shall
sacrifice in peace as well as in war"
and when the unselfishness that
stirred the warriors in war shall
take possession Of men during peace.
the catastrophe of international con-
fiict must become a thing Of the
mast"