352 VENEZUELA AND AFTER 



world under something in the nature of a 

 federative bond makes a strong appeal to every 

 English-speaking group that treasures the tra 

 ditions and achievements of the race. 



By every step toward the closer union of the 

 scattered parts of the British Empire the more 

 general solidarity of the English-speaking peo 

 ples has been brought nearer. For every such 

 step signalizes the democratizing pro tanto of 

 social and political ideals and institutions in 

 the United Kingdom, and the realization thus 

 of conditions that promote harmony with the 

 American Republic. An intimate like-minded- 

 ness is, as was said at the beginning of this 

 review, the indispensable factor in permanent 

 international amity. The whole trend of mod 

 ern development in civilization is strongly 

 toward the widespread working of this factor. 

 Its influence is most marked, however, where 

 historical identity of language and tradition 

 clears the way. The people of the United 

 Kingdom and the people of the United States 

 are drawing nearer each other daily in both the 

 material and the spiritual aspects of life. What 

 has been expected to retard, has in fact accel 

 erated the movement. Nervous Britons strike 

 out for a closer union of all the parts of the 



