Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-09
BY EDWIN G. PINKHAM.

By Cable to The Star.
LONDON, July 9-Out Of this social
and political system, founded on caste,
time has formed many strange para
doxes.
Macaulay dismissed democracy In
America by asking what would happen
to it when its Government should be
chosen by an electorate that had had
no breakfast. That never has hap
pened and so we don't know, but,
strangely enough, English democracy
has supplied the answer.
"A government has just been elected
In this country by an electorate that
employing Macaulay's own exaggerative
f1gure-wasn't wholly certain of its din
ner, and nothing has happened.
But have been struck more forcibly
by another illustration of the fact that
the most carefully calculated policies
Of men-as in the formation OF this
English social system, so much admired
by Macaulay, for example-are helpless
against the processes by which mankind
advances.
In Westminster Abbey lies Charles
Dickens. Just outside, in the most
commanding position in those historic
precincts, stands a statue of Abraham
Lincoln. Here were two men for whom
the ancient policy Of aristocratic Eng
land made no place. One began life
in a backing warehouse in London,
the other in the backwoods Of Kentucky.
Both were born to poverty and obscurity
and into social systems that seemed
settled.
Democracy Closely Scanned.
know Of no more striking figure Of
the power that lies in a people TO over
come and change the conditions i'm
posed by the organizers Of a human
society than is presented by these two
memorials in their impressive juxtapost-
ton. This English society was organ
ICED frankly for the benefit of its then
rulers, who consisted of few powerful
landed families. Today it is ruled by
the forces whose very existence was
then unrecognized, Of which the grave
Of Charles Dickens in the Abbey ana
the statue of Abraham Lincoln outside
are among the foremost and most
universally accepted symbols.
Democracy Is being closely scrutln1Zeo
these days and its weaknesses rather
loudly proclaimed. Now and then II
might be well to look for its strengths
IF not observable elsewhere look IN
Westminster.
How fragile and dissolving are sys-
TENS in the impacts that time brings
Those templars who lie, in efdgies OF
mail, on their tombs in their temple
church by the inner temple, long age
taken over by the lawyers as one OF
their inns Of court-they, TOO, died IN
tho serene confidence that their system
was established and would endure.
think I can read that on their calm
countenances as they lie, arms crossed
and sword and shield beside them.
outside the choir boys are playing
cricket-somewhat to the danger OF Ins
stained glass windows, IL seems TO me
not to mention that they are using
oliver Goldsmith'S grave for what
The templars didn't even know about
cricket. Their principal information
was about crusades. There is legene
| that those who lie with their leg:
crossed below the knee were In ont
crusade, and that those whose legs are
crossed above the knee were IN two.
The legend is secuted by the learned
but it serves to show how transitory are
systems: their crossed legs, which we
know must have stood for much to them
| supply to US just a dispute Tor anti'
duarians. As world concerns 60 thess
| templars lived and died In vain-exeep'
that they built a church (for their owl
glory, to be sure, and to provide place
| for them to lie In considerable pubic
ity), that still EFFORTS admiration fol
their architects and stone masons, who
do not lie buried there.
Systems Are Questioned.
That again goes to make us ques.
ton system. These knights in mai