SIR AUCKLAND GEDDES

COÖPERATION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA

Speech delivered by the British Ambassador at the dinner of the Canadian Society of New York, Saturday, January 20, 1923. Only portions of the speech are given, made up from newspaper reports. A "Commencement Address" by Sir Auckland Geddes is printed in Volume VII.

I WONDER if you know how small is the pin point on which an ambassador must balance himself in making a speech these days. I see chasms yawning all around me, and representatives of certain other countries would be greatly amused if I should fall into one of them.

I think I may say that no one who has followed the trend of affairs in the world for the last three or four years can be free from anxiety. There is a very critical condition in a large part of the Old World. Looking back across the ages, there are those who draw comparisons between the state of the world to-day and the state of the Roman civilization during the last half of the pagan era and during the third century of the Christian period, when the great Roman civilization vanished.

There is no doubt that some of the conditions are similar to the conditions of those critical periods. We have seen during the last two years the fabric of civilization largely disappear in Russia and there are those who fear that the area may be enlarged. I am no pessimist, but it seems to me that it should be clear to all that things have gone too far for us to sit idly by and say all will come out right, and then say we have done our duty.

The fabric of civilization is always a dead thing. The essence of civilization is in the spirit and soul and life of the people. In some parts of the world this spiritual life seems to have

grown very feeble. If that is true and it is not checked, it will only be a short time, as history counts time, when the fabric of civilization, no longer supported by spiritual life beneath, will crack and crumble.

I believe with all my heart and soul that the people of our race, whether they live in the British Commonwealth, or under the Stars and Stripes, are called now to a great mission. It seems to me that in our countries the true life is still strong. I believe so strongly in this mission, not for national benefit, but for the good of the whole world, that I urge in season, and perhaps sometimes out of season, the closest coöperation of all the nations of the English-speaking world to help the peoples who are losing hope and who feel that the whole world is crumbling around them.

No formal alliance is required. What we want is that the nations of the English-speaking world, the British Commonwealth and the United States, should get closer to each other. Our ideals are practically identical and our aspirations are the

same.

Coöperation and friendship, take it or leave it. Take it and the world comes back to prosperity. Leave it and the process of crumbling we have already will extend and extend. The world is too far from stable to withstand more shocks without great added suffering.

We have a bond between two nations, a bond of sympathy and understanding. We want to make that bond operative in friendly coöperation. This is not for the benefit of these two nations. Roughly speaking, we are getting along pretty well. Only by this coöperation between the British Commonwealth and the United States can be brought about coöperation between all the nations. It is the necessary preliminary for the preservation of those parts of the world which are definitely shattered or threatened.

The one hope of setting right that which is wrong and going more wrong is the friendly coöperation of the English-speaking people. If that gathers strength I am sure that the area of growing world health will spread until in a few years, perhaps a generation, perhaps longer, the world will be brought back to economic soundness.

JOHN GILBERT

PLAYING "OLD MEN" PARTS

Speech of John Gilbert at a banquet given by the Lotos Club in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of his first appearance on the stage, New York City, November 30, 1878. The chairman of the dinner was Whitelaw Reid, president of the Lotos.

"CÆSAR, WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOU."-Such was the gladiator's cry in the arena standing face to face with death. There is a certain appositeness in the words I have just uttered that probably may correspond to my position. Understand me, I do not mean to die theatrically at present. [Laughter.] But when a man has arrived at my age, he can scarcely look forward to very many years of professional exertion. When my old friend, John Brougham [Mr. Brougham:-"I am not going to die just yet"] [laughter], announced to me the honor that the Lotos Club proffered me, I was flattered and complimented. But I said: "John, you know I am no speechmaker." He replied, "Say anything." "Anything," I said, "anything won't do." "Then," said he, "repeat the first speech of Sir Peter Teazle, 'When an old bachelor marries a young wife, what is he to expect?'" [Laughter.] Well, I think I can paraphrase that and say, "When a young man enters the theatrical profession, what is he to expect?" Well, he may expect a good many things he never realized. However, suffice it to say that fifty years ago I made my début as an actor in my native city of Boston. I commenced in the first-class character of Jaffier in Otway's charming tragedy of "Venice Preserved." The public said it was a success, and I thought it was. [Laughter.] The manager evidently thought it was, too, for he let me repeat the character. Well, I suppose it was a success for a young man with such aspirations as I had. There might have been some inspiration about it—at least there ought to have