Evening star., 1922-10-01
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


ments not only in the history
of ethnology, but in the his
tory Of all civilization, has
been the growth Of the English Ian
guage, which has surpassed that of
any other tongue, and is destined to
become the world language-not by
any international conclave, but by the
process of engulf1ng all others.
With international trade an accom-
plished fact dominated largely by
this country and other nations speak
ing English-the expansion OF that
commerce, with English as its Ian
guage, will sweep the English tongue
into common use in every port and
market place where people foregather,
and the world language will be estab-
Iished through common, worldwide
usage.
This is the conviction of students
who vision the future. 1t is interest
ingly significant that to all intents
and purposes this will have come to
pass before 1926, when in the city OF
Philadelphia will be fittingly COM
memorated by international exposi-
tion the 150th anniversary Of the sign
ing of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. This nation. then announced to
the world, has in those short $50
years, crowded with achievement done
more than any other nation to spread
the English tongue through our COM
mon school system, and with the pick
ed manhood Of other countries coming
here to drink deep Of knowledge at
our great universities.
Spread of English Since 1900.
Representative sime& D. Fess of
Ohio, now the republican candidate for
the Senate, who has been chairman
of the House committee on education
and who is recognized internationally
as one of the greastest practical
scholars in the world today. has been
greatly impressed by the tidal sweep
of the English language toward be-
ing a world language, and has con-
veyed this impression to his col
leagues in a notable speech. He points
out that when Burns wrote there were
10,000,000 persons who spoke the Eng
Hsh language. The reports In 1901
show considerable less than that num-
ber In England and Wales. Today
there are moro than 150,0o0,0o0 per-
sons throughout the world speaking
the English language.
1t is heard In every civilized coun-
try, including the islands Of the sea-
One of the most remarkable observa-
tions to be made is In the orient,
where In various centers one not only
hears the English language spoken,
but can read publications printed in
English for perusal by the in
habitants. This Development has re-
Gently been given new impetus
through the improvement Of news
service across the Pacific by use OF
the Navy radio station. The net re-
suit is that many natives Of China do
not now read the ancient language
of their country, and practically all
of the educated natives have learned
to both read and speak English.
An ethnolgical map Of the world
shows English as the vernacular
language In the British Isles, in all
North America, Australia, New Zea-
land and southern Africa. 1t is the
leading foreign language, or what
might be styled the second language,
in western Europe outside Of the
British Isles, Mexico. southern South
America, portions Of south and east
ern Africa, and the oriental countries.
Including China and Japan. It is1
spoken to some extent, but not a. Q
second language, in Russia, tho near
east countries, India, tho west coast
Of South America, and tho islands Of
the sea. It has really reached over
the "seven seae' of classical history.
Principal Languages Spoken.
Reports by scholars and research by
Representative Fess, himself life
long student of such matters, show
that in 1900 there were from 10000
900 to 16O.00o,oOo people speaking
English. A very conservative es-
innate is that 15o.ooo.ooo people speak
English, 120,OOo,0o0 speak German,
so,ooo.ooo Russian, eo.oo0,ooo French,
55,oo0.o06 Spanish and 40.0o0.oo0 Of
each italian and Portuguese. When
considered in percentage of growth.
the English has surpassed all other
languages If the rate Of growth
since the year 1900 Is continued. 1t Is
estimated that by tho end Of the
present century there will be
1,10o, 100000 of people speaking the
language.
DR.. Brander Matthews, one Of the
best authorities on the subject, be-
lieves that q world language may be
possible. He also believes that 1t will
not BE- either the French or the Ger
man. With him most Of the scholars