At the crossroads near the city of Ypres is a sign-board giving the
directions and the distances to various towns. One day the Germans
captured that highway.
There was a man in the company who had lived in some German-American
city of the United States. He knew that but for England Germany would
have gotten through to the Channel towns and looted Paris. Climbing up
on the sign-board that German-American wrote in good plain English these
words: "God ---- England!"
That afternoon the Australian and the New Zealand army pushed the
Germans back and recaptured the highway. Among other soldiers was a
Scotsman named Sandy.
He read the sign, "God ---- England!" with ever increasing anger.
Finally he flung his arms and legs around the sign-post, pulled himself
up to the top and, while his companions watched him, they saw him do a
most amazing thing.
They were cheering him because they expected him to rub out the word
"England." But not Sandy! Holding on by his left hand, with his right
Sandy added to the words "God ---- England!" these words, "and
Scotland."
He felt that it was an outrage that Scotland should be overlooked in any
good thing. Blessed was the people who had won the distinction of being
hated by the German, and therefore Sandy added the words "and Scotland"!
Now Scotland deserved that high praise. When the historian comes to
write the full story of this great war it will make a large place for
the words "and Scotland." Wonderful the heroism of the British army!
Marvellous their achievements! But who is at the head of it? A great
Scotsman, Sir Douglas Haig.
What stories fill the pages of the achievements of English sailors ever
since the days of Nelson, standing on the deck of the _Victory_, down to
the battle of Jutland! But that gallant Scot, Admiral Beatty, holds the
centre of the stage to-day. There came a critical moment also when a man
of intellect and a great heart must represent Great Britain in her
greatest crisis in the United States, and in that hour they sent a
Scotsman, Arthur James Balfour, philosopher, metaphysician, theologian,
statesman, diplomat and seer.
And what shall one more say save that the finances of this war have been
controlled by a Scotch Chancellor of the Exchequer, and her railways
organized by a Scotch inventor. Wonderful the achievements of
England--that "dear, dear land." Marvellous the contribution of Wales,
through men like the Prime Minister, Lloyd George!
Who can praise sufficiently the heroes of Canada, Australia and New
Zealand? In Ireland, for the moment, things are in a muddle. "What is
the trouble with the Emerald Isle?" was the question, to which the
Irishman made instant reply: "Oh, in South Ireland we are all Roman
Catholics, and in North Ireland we are all Protestants, and I wish to
heaven we were all agnostics, and then we could live together like
Christians."
But Ireland will soon iron out her troubles. To the achievements of the
various people of the great British Empire let us make a large place for
the contributions of Scotland. The Germans hate with a deadly hatred any
country and any race that has stopped them in their headlong career
towards crime.
But the next time that a German-American has gone back to Berlin and has
reached the western front and puts up a sign reading "Gott strafe
England" let him not fail to add these words, "and Scotland."