New-York tribune., 1918-01-05
Reading in Lead
To Take Place of
Spring-Rice Here
Grey and ]. A. Chamber
lain Also Mentioned for
Ambassadorship
Viscount Is a Favorite
Former Minister'S Son Is
Handicapped by
Monocle
lBy Tho Associated rreAsl

LONDON, Jan. A topic that is
greatly interesting British officaldom
and the public at the moment is tho
selection of an ambassador to the
United States to succeed Sir Cecil
Arthur Spring Rice.
Three names thus far are being dis
cussed-~those Of Viscount Grey, for
mcr Foreign Secretary; Earl Reading,
Lord Chief Justice of England, and J.
Austen Chamberlain, eldest son of the
late Joseph Chamberlain and former
Secretary for India
THE Daily News" says it is under
stood that Lord Reading has been
asked whether he would be willing to
become British Ambassador to the
United States
Lore. heading now holds the office
OF Chlef Justice Of England, and it is
questionable whether he would be
willing to resign that post for any
diplomatic position, although he has
temporarily waived it for special mis-
sions. On one of these missions he
visited the United States. He is dis
tnctly business man, and under
stands business and financial matters
thoroughly, since he comes from an
important business family and WAS
raised in the atmosphere Of commerce.
Viscount Grey Is generally consd-
cred the strongest man Of the three. As
an orator he s able to present casa
with straightforward words. He is one
OF the foremost OF British statesmen,
and his political convictions are sim
ccrely and deeply democratic and lib
eral. Viscount Grey has been close
student Of American history and SYM
pathizes heartily with the principles
Of American democracv The only
han"'can 70 Niecount Grey suggested
is that he is distinctly shy and rctir-
ing. l,ncrs is a belief here, whether it
be flRht or wrong. that the British Am
bassador to the United States should
be what is called "a mixer" In that
respect Niscount Grey would not fill
the bill. it is believed
Mr.. Chamberlain has suffered the
lifelong handicap of being the son Of
an important and able father. lie has
his fathers mannersms. he wears a
inonoclo and the members Of the Labor
party who to-day play an important
and almost dominating part in British
politics. would say that he is too much
Of an aristocrat to be Great Britain's
representative in the United States.
The fact that Sir Cecil Spring Rice
is being recalled from Washington and
Sir George W. Buchanan from the en-
lack Of confidence in them on the parr
of the government. much less any feel
ing that they have not fulfilled their
duties we'll.
Buchanan had the most difficult work
in Russia any foreign diplomat has had
to handle in long time. He knew Of
the threat of a revolution in Russia a
long time before the revolution actu-
ally broke out, and counselled the En-
peror, so far as foreign diplomat
could do without making himself dis
tinctly offensive, Of the danger which
hovered over his head, and advised him
to give Russia real parliamentary gov
crnment.
But the Empress, who was the real
power of the throne, reinforced by
Rasputin, the mystic monk, and other
fanatics and by the bureaucracy, null
lifted Bucharan's advice until it was
100 late. After the crash came Bu-
chanan supported the attempts TO help
the democratic regime but where the
most solid and able Russian patriots
had failed the little group of friendly
foreign diplomats in Petrograd, who
attempted to aid Russia in plotting
her way through the chaos, could not
be cXDectp0 to succnod