The Anglo-American Future
by . New York: Thomas Seltzer. 1921. 12mo, 111 pp. $1.50.
IT is not necessary to look further back in the writings of Mr. A. G. Gardiner than at his article
‘The Twilight of Parliament,’in the August Atlantic, to be reminded that he is an Englishman without illusion respecting his own country. But he is no more a retractor of it than he is an unfriendly critic of the United States. The consequence is that he possesses uncommon qualifications — including a gift of lucid and forcible expression — for producing an English counterpart of Mr. Owen Wister’s plea for Anglo-American unity, The Straight Deal, and this is what his little volume really is.
The burden of its appeal is that ’the better mind on both sides must be so organized and strengthened as to visit all the blows of circumstance and all the gusts of passion.’ He deals in turn with such general topics as ’A Century of Peace.’ ‘The American Mind,’ “The English Manner,’‘Political Discords,’and ‘The Future.”He recognizes the Irish question frankly as also an American question, and makes these pregnant observations: ’It is well to remember that the United States has inherited its two great troubles from England. It was the English slaver that brought the Negro to America for his Own profit. It was English policy that depopulated Ireland and sent a nation with bitterness in its heart to poison the life of America. We Cannot cancel the one mischief; but we alone can cancel the other. And until we do it we can never achieve that English-speaking solidarity which is the hope of those who wish the world well.'
It is a question whether books of this type would not accomplish their purpose more completely if their writers should take more pains to recognize the fact that ‘ those who wish the world well’ are not exclusively British and American. Great Britain and the United States are so manifestly the two world powers which, working in harmony, can do most for the general good of the race that liberal-minded men of every tongue must rejoice in every token of their generous cooperation. But it must be generous unless it is to defeat its own purpose; and the spirit of understanding between the two great English-speaking peoples which is the very motive of Mr. Gardiner’s Little book is an excellent first step in the direction of the essential broader generosity. It is not enough for Britons and Americans to pride themselves on occupying a position of enormous potential beneficence. They must so conduct themselves as really to be worthy of this position, and when the time comes for exercising the power it involves, must do so with the might that springs from recognized right.
To this end so intelligent and high-minded a consideration of the relations between the two countries which ought to do most at this moment for a distracted world offers an important contribution. So short a book may, and in this instance does, provoke long thoughts.
M. A. DEWOLFE HOWE.
In response to requests from many librarians, the reviews printed each month in this department of the magazine will be reprinted separately in pamphlet form. Copies may be had by any librarian, without charge, on application to the Atlantic Monthly, 8 Arlington St., Boston.