New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-20
ASOUITH REPEATS
BRITISH REFUSAL
But Washington Still Hopes Last
Word on Fair Participation
Is Not Yet Said.
iBy cable 10 The Tnuunc

by cable 90 The Tribune
London. Dee. 20.-The decision 81
the government not TO reconsider the
question of participation i'm the Pan
ANA Pacific Exposition has caused
much astonshment here. the Times
saws; For reasons which We find II
difficult to appreciate the action or
rather. the inaction Of our government
seems like the same strange inaction
Of Germany. We refrain from DISCUSS
ing the misconceptions To when inns
negative Arrangement may give rise III
tho I-uited states. but We are at loss
ia understand how our government
came TO be yoked with the German
Government i'm regard to matter
,,bich concerns Great Britain and the
oversea dominions much more nearly
than II can possibly concern the gov
ernment or people Of the German EN-
pire
we do not for an instant suppose
that any hard and fast arrangement
cviets between us and Germany WIN
| regard to participation III me ran
anna Pacific Exposition. whatever en-
eacement we may have entered lh'o
nrobably consists Of au informal eN-
change Of views containing, At the h'oS''
assurance that one country Woulu l''
nar,icinate Officially without informing
Tho other II this is 50, the sooner 'l'e
| &C, oovcrnment is Informed the
| better. ..o,,,
"oeicial aloofness will not prevent
r,ts country from being reprcSehIcu'
The only question is whether the rep
,.sontation shall be duly and oiiiclalIy
sanctioned and encouraged. We arc
moi without hope that after such iuI
,hor consideration Mr.. Asquith VIII
,.,o,d 70 public opinion and modify an
attitude which it is very diifcul' 10
defend
The Daily News" says. The gov
arnment's refusal is bad pluiiu'''
however strong may be the economic
case against participation. II Is o"'
because very many people in the Ini'e"
states will. quite falsely, OF course puI
9TH quite confidently, read political
motive into the governments decision.
"All Americans are proud Of the Pan
anna Canal, and its opening VIII be
memorable event in the history OF CIV
ilization. When they see the British
government Withholding its representa-
ton from the exhibition intended TO
| commemorate this great achievement
many Of them Will think il deliberate
snub. only the politically ignorant
could Jump To such a conclusion but
the ignorant in international politics
are the overwhelming majority There
are some errors for which no excuse
should be given. and this is especially
true when such errors may damage 80
precious an interest as the Anglo
American intimacy"
THE Daily Mail" says: 1T is a pity
Premier Asquith is not more informa-
tive regarding the grounds on which
the Cabinet maintains its veto. The
opening Of the Panama Canal, which
the exhibition is 10 celebrate, viii be "A
historic date in the history of the
United States. and the American peo-
pie justly look TO their British cousins
TO associate themselves with their ma
tional rejoicings The maintenance of
friendly relations between the United
States and ourselves is a matter of
such importance that we should be 10th
TO think the Cabinets refusal is based
In any case We sincerely hope that
when Parliament reassembIes par
liamentary non-party committee might
enable the government To take
broader and more enlightened view OF