New-York tribune., 1919-12-29
Grey Expected
TO Come Back
As Ambassador
British Envoy Sails for
Home Jan. 5; Has Not
Been Received Official
ly by President Wilson
By Carter Field
New Io'-h Tribune
Wdshin gton Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.-Viscoun+
Grey, Acting British Ambassador here
since October l., who sails for home
on January 8, will return to this coun-
try after the ratification of the peace
treaty. official Washington confidently
expects. A longer stay here now
would merely be wasting the time of
one of the big men of the British EN-
pire.
Due to the fact that he has not been
received by the President he is not
officially recognized, and more i'm
portant, since the peace treaty has not
been ratified he cannot discharge the
very function for which he came to
this country.
Goes Home to Explain
Lord Grey is returning home now
to make his government, and, even
more particularly the people of Great
Britain, understand the situation in
the United States. He will be able to
explain many things to the Foreign
Office which he could not make clear
in cables or letters, and he will make
public speeches in England, which, un-
der diplomatic etiquette, he could
scarcely make in the United States.
Despite his lack of official recogn-
ton during the three months be has
been in this country, Lord Grey has
been busy, and he will go home with
very accurate idea of all shades of
opinion here. He has had long chats
with practically every man of i'm
portance in Washington except Presi-
dent Wilson. He has revealed, in re
cent conversations with Senators, a
grasp OF the situation which a diplo-
mat very seldom succeeds in obtain
ing.
On his return he will be able to paint
most accurate picture of the political
and diplomatic situation here, and he
will be able to tell the people of Great
Britain, among other things, that
many of the bitter attacks on the
British Empire voiced in Washington
during the treaty fight are not really
antiBritish at all, but that the speak
ers were merely hitting at the league
of nations and peace treaty over any
convenient shoulder, Great Britain's
shoulder happening to be the nearest.
Expected Ratification
When Lord Grey sailed for the
United States as temporary Ambas-
sador the British Foreign Office con-
tidently expected, basing its ideas on
what had been learned from President
Wilson and ignoring news dispatches
from Washington, that the peace treaty
would be ratified in a very short time
The appointment of an Ambassador to
Washington is always more or less of a
problem to the British government.
This post is regarded as of tremendous
Importance, and the American people,
in the opinion of the Foreign Office,
have been educated up to expecting an
unusually big man.
1t was felt very necessary that there
should be an official spokesman for
Great Britain in this country, mmedi
ately after the ratification of the
treaty had started the league of ma
tons machinery, who could facilita te
The smooth working and harmony of
the entire league Of nations plan by
putting the British viewpoint before
the American public. 1t was realized
that anti-British prejudice was being
stirred by the opponents of the league
and it was desired to have the very
best man possible to combat this.
For these reasons Lord GREY was
given temporary appointment and
came on over here. The continued i'll
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