The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-17

BOake Carter
Britain and Criticism
National Policies
Being Loyal

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panied and distressed at the
"anti-BritiSh" attitude of this
writer. I hasten to say that
nothing is further from the
truth.
The one great trouble with
Great Britain is that it cannot
distinguish between criticism Of
a policy and criticism Of a ma
ton.
The British themselves are
the most loyal and nationalistic
people on earth. With them
the Mother Country and Empire
come first, last and always.
Yet, strangely enough, they deny
the right to Americans to hold
the same characteristics.
THIS writer was once British
l. subject. Upon arrival at the
age of reason he chose to seek
American citizenship, and this
nation honored him with a
grant of his request. It is,
therefore, not unreasonable or
illogical to believe that he is
capable Of viewing the charac-
teriStics of both nations with a
fair degree of accuracy.
I would that Great Britain
and her nationals would be
truly honest for once-and admit
that for diplomatic and eco
nomic reasons they are willing
to recognize Americas strength
in the world of nations, but
fundamentally they believe that
they are better" than Ameri-
cans-at least the class which
puts out the propaganda.
But that they believe this way
and say so out loud-do not the
public prints of London laugh
at our gangsterS, our politics
and our crudenesS and flam-
buoyancy-iS not to say that
they should be denied that right,
nor is it to say that they are,
therefore, ipso facto "anti-Ameri-
can"
If Britain, in her quite under.
standable desire to hold what
she has in the way of empire
and with all her long years Of
culture behind her, still feels
that she is the leader of the
world, that's fine. That is her
privilege to so think, and she has
a perfect right to it. But her
nationals have no right to deny
the same privilege to Americans
and denounce them as "anti-
British"
What I resent is their resent
ment that there should be any
Americans Who would be so bold
as to speak up in the public
prints and suggest that perhaps
the United States might get
along in the world just as well
by following her own inclina-
tons, instead Of following those
of Great Britain.
A FTER all, no matter whether
"A you be a Spaniard, French
man, Russian, German, or
American, it is ones privilege
to believe that Z. maybe some
times the British are wrong and
that one has the right to dis
agree with them; not personally,
for they are the most personable
people in the world, but with
their policies. But If one does
do that, the British promptly
mark that individual down not
as "pro-their-country" but as
"anti-British.
It is my belief that America
is a different nation and in
dependent and no longer some
cast-off cousin. America is
young, but many fine things
have been done by young people
and young nations.
But submit that America
does not have to accept the for
eign policies laid down by an
other nation.
If an American marries an
Englishman, Britain expects
that American to become Brit
ish, and more often than not
the American does become just
that, But that American is
not to be accused of anti
Americanism" if he questions
the wisdom of an American
policy as it may apply to
Britain.
This column will continue to