There seems to be the same dualism on the vexed
question of playing the International. There are obvious reasons for playing that jingle with the other national anthems now that Russia is our ally, if it really is the Russian national anthem. And if Russians say it is I suppose it is, in spite of the anomaly involved in identifying national and international. There are also some reasons for not playing it, but it seems hardly tactful to drop the lot, as is now to be done, rather than please Moscow. Not being familiar with the sentiments enshrined in the alleged anthem, I have been informing myself on the subject a little. The poem, song, manifesto, or whatever it may be, was, I find, written by a Frenchman— hence, no doubt, the common form " Internationale "—which seems to bring its Russianism into some question. Its theme is sufficiently indicated by the first verse: Arise ye starvelings from your slumbers; Arise ye criminals of want, For reason in revolt now thunders And at last ends the age of cant. Now away with all superstitions, Servile masses arise, arise!
We'll change forthwith the old conditions
And spurn the dust to win the prize. I should perhaps add the chorus:
Then, comrades, come rally And the last fight let us face;
The In-ter-na-tion-al Unites the human race.
Well, there it is. If the B.B.C. were asked to broadcast the words, I think it might reasonably ask to be excused, on aesthetic grounds alone. On the music I am no authority.
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