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held by
English.
Since World War II
English has held the post as the lan–
guage of trade, commerce, and general
intercourse between nations.
More scientific journals are now writ–
ten in English than in either French or
German. Landing and takcoff instruc–
tions for international plane Aights are
givcn in English. With a knowledge of
English one can negotiate his way over
the greater portions of the carth's
surfacc.
Howcver, it would be premature to
boast over this achievement. The British
Empire is dead. The Commonwealth is
in disarray. The U. S. is losing its
influcncc in the world. Only about one
eighth of the carth's three billion popu·
lation speaks English. More than twice
that number use one or another dialect
of Chinese.
What Education Can
and Can't Do
All Israelis speak Hebrew. But since
the number of Hebrew speakers outside
Israel is so small, French and English
are also accepted as official languages
in Israel. Because they come from so
many different countries, most native
Israelis speak either German or Spanish
in addition. Anyone knowing either
German and English, or French and
English has no difficulty in this tiny
country.
The Israelis have proved that it is
possible for a people to change its lan–
guage in the space of a
single gener–
atioll.
In twenty-five years these people
have beco welded into a Hebrew–
speaking nation (albeit with an accent!).
Their children -
one generation
later - speak Hebrew as their
fint
lan–
guage, without accent, and must be
taught the German, French, Spanish,
Russian, etc., of their parents as a sec·
ond language.
Turkey's example is a sharp contrast.
Kemal Attatürk in the 1920's rcformed
the Turkish language. The old Arabic
writing was replaced with Latín letters.
All irregularities of grammar were elim·
inated. The Janguage became "ideal."
Yet despite tbe universal use of this
reformed language in writing and print–
ing, Turkey still remains split by num–
erous dialects. The reason: lack of
formal education prevented the nation-
Tbe
PLAIN TRUTH
wide adoption of the new language,
even after almost half a century.
The solutioo of educating today's
WORLD
in a universal Janguage is theo–
rctically possible.
It
has been proveo to
be possible in educated countries on a
national
basis. But when we begin con–
sidering a
woddwide
endeavor - it
remains impossible.
World Governmeot the
Only Solution
What oation is willing to give up its
1zational
language for another? Such a
thing would be
tmthinkable
-
almost
like giving up a part of one's national
sovereignty!
It
is a rnatter of history that language
and national existence have gone hand
in hand. In the 1700's as a conquered
nation, Poles were forbidden to use
their native Janguage. Only their dog–
ged defiance prcserved the Polish lan·
guage and kept the national spirít alive.
Welsh, Scottish and Irish nationalists
have advocated a return to theír respec–
tive Celtic languages. Black nationalists
want Swahili added to the currículum
of U. S. schools.
Each nation is prejudiced in favor of
its own language and will not give it
up. As many English-speakers cry, "By
all means let us have an international
language, and by all rneans let it be
English." Each nation in turn feels
the same way. As the Russian poet
Lomonosov said:
"Lord of many languages, the Rus–
sian tongue is far superior to all those
of Europe ... Charles the Fifth ... said
that one ought to speak Spanísh to the
Deity, French to one's friends, German
to one's enemies, and ltalian to the fair
sex. But had he been acquainted with
Russian, he would assuredly have added
that one could speak it (that is, Rus–
sian) with each and all ..."!
There Is Hope!
An international language •s tmpos–
sible without
A WORLD GOVERNMENT.
Is world govcrnment possible?
Two modern-day attempts at
ron–
federation
of nations have failed - the
League of Nations and the United
Nations Organization.
Over and over, great national Jeaders
have said that the solution to our prob·
lems - whether linguistic or otherwise
Deccmbcr 1970
- is world government. Unfortunately,
world government in the hands of men
would
be
disastro11s.
Where is the aoswer? What is the
solution? World government is the only
hope - the only answer. But not in the
hands of men.
The language problem is only
one o{
the problems besetting this world -
others being global pollution, war, the
popuJation explosion, famine, disease
epidemics, illiteracy, etc. Only a world
government - with tbe interest of
ALL
citizens at heart - could achieve the
cooperation among nations needed to
solve thcse problems. Ooly a world gov–
ernment could cause the different
nations and peoples to work together in
the truc peace and harmooy necessary to
bring about real solutions.
This dream of a just, strong but mer–
ciful world governmeot is not new. In
fact an ancient prophet named Zeph–
aniah spoke specifically of a world gov–
ernment arising which would deal
specifically
with the language crisis. He
cried out more than 25 centuries ago:
"For then will
I
turn to the people a
p11re /ang11age,
that they may all call
upon the name of the Lord, to serve
him with
one consenf'
(Zeph. 3 :9).
Notice: that the nations would
be
of
one consent
-
of one mind. Thc world
would be cooperating - united in reli·
gion and purpose, as well as in
language.
The Janguage barrier is not going to
be brokcn before tbe international prob·
lems are solved. We can't hope to
achicve unity of speech and sti ll be
dividcd in politics, religion, and eco–
nomics. Unity in all things - under a
world government - must come.
You can discover
HOW
world gov–
ernment and one universal language
will occur by writing for our
f1'ee
book·
lct
The Wonderf11l JIVorld Tomorrow
- liVhflt
lt
lf/ill
Be Vke.
This booklet
points out the problems of this present
world and discusses the question of
whether man can solve his own prob–
lems. And it points out
holl'
the prob–
lems of our day will be solvcd in the
not-too-distant future. It gives the
straight answer, pulling no punches.
This booklet is sent free of charge as a
pub! ic service to all requesting it for
themselves. O