The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-21
AN AMERICAN
 ALLIANCE POSSIBLE.
English Statesmen Giving It
 Consideration
FOR PERMANENT PEACE
Think It Solution of Problem-Con- sider English Speaking People Should Decide What Kind of Civiliza-
 ton the World Should Have


 London, May S-(Special. )-Shall there be an Anglo American alliance after this war, or if something not quite so strong as that. an entente be tween the two great English speaking naions for the purpose of directing the principles of international life which will make it possible for nations to | live in peace and quiet? In other words, shall there be an understanding between the British Empire and the American Republic which will give 10 mankind the international policeman the world has been looking for? In the opinion of many British statesmen there must, in the interests of civiliza- tion, be some such thing In a short
 time, according to present arrange ments, a British Cabinet Minister of great renown will enunciate the doc Urine of Anglo-Americanism and it is Ihoped on this side of the water that there will come from America a cordial response.
 Statesmen here foresee Americas s power in this world. America is com ing to be better understood. It is realized that even if the Central Pow CTS are thoroughly smashed there will be for years after this war conflicting ambitions and interests in all quarters Iof the world. Something, it is consid- tered, will be needed to smooth out troubles, to prevent, by diplomacy if possible, recurring strife, and if the thing cannot peaceably be done, then there must be some great force which Twill compel nations to keep the peace.
 IS ONLY SOLUTION
 It is believed here, and the feeling is growing, that tie force can be found lonly by a combination of the English lspeaking peoples who are actuated by the same ideals and seek, generally Ispeaking, the same things. The Istrength of the AngloAmerican com Ibination would be that England desires no more Empire than she already has,
 except, probably the English people Twill demand their human share of cap tured territory, while America, too, lseeks nothing. More important to the success of cooperation still is the fact ,that England holds nothing which America covets, nor has America any thing which England desires or needs. Thus an accord" is possible and work able. It is believed here that the Anglo Saxon race can give justice to the world, and prevent recurring wars such as he present one, and that there may be occurrences, to the ruination of the | NOIlu, IS TecOSHlZ dS d O1SClnCL Qdn- Iger England, however, cannot do the Ijob alone, nor America, but together the two nations could. It is not the l idea that by force of arms and wealth the two countries should endeavor to dominate the world, smiting this or that nation which dared to lift it's head or to form a combination which would 1 have it's own way about things through sheer material strength. It is that the | English feel their ideals are the proper ones, and identical with those of Amer l ica. They want no more wars after 1 this one is over, but the statesmen of | the nation believe that if some plans for peace-keeping combination are not made in advance of the turmoil of the period of peace-making which is ! | to come the chances of a permanent l peace will be jeopardized, to say the 1 least. | For a long time, since the beginning l 1 of the and even before, Americans | in London have been irritated by the l critical attitude which English people | have taken toward the American gov ernment, American people and Amer l I ican things. For the last eighteen i months this has been particularly true. | ] So wrapped up in their own tragic af l fairs the British have had no thought 1 1 of the problems of others and have l been relentlessly critical of the United | 1 States. There has been little that is 1 | JuQ1ClOuS aDOuI IHelr OplIllO1lS, they | considered their cause so fawlessly | righteous that for any other nation not 1 l to join with them in the fight against | 1 Germany was criminal.
 AMERICANS MISUNDERSTOOD
 Principally because it has never been 1 | properly set before them the American | attitude toward the war has never been l understood nor has America been given | credit for having any fine principles or 1 sense of national honor. One funda- l mental trouble has been that the pro- | 1 Ally sentiment in the United States routine while the pro-German activity ] on the other side of the Atlantic was | given a wholly exaggerated importance, 1 | leading to the impression that the United States was in the hands of the I Germans. 1 Lately, however, the situation has undergone change. In dealing with public officials one finds better feel l ing toward America. This is due to recent developments. President Will sons firm attitude towards the Ger mans in America, particularly his stand against those who sought to pass pro- German resolutions in Congress, has l had splendid effect. Discourageme ent that was felt before based on a belief that the doctrine of 'peace-at-any- price" had come to permeate the whole American government, has now disap- peared. President Wilson's difficulties 1 are being more appreciated; for almost l the first time consideration is taken or | the fact that after all. America may have her own interests to look after as we'll as troubles of her own. l |