The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-21
.U.S..BRIT|SH
TIE STRAINED
by. INCIDENT
President Asked for, and
Didn't Get, Recall of Unac-
ceptable Secretary of Lord
Gray, Says Lawrence.
DISTURBED RELATIONS
Copyright, 1920, by The Palladium
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

" OA<, GU. hVSc oil %
tragic days in international affairs.
But the most pitiable part is the way
European powers are beginning to
flout the president Of the United
States. The Adriatic question is one
of a chain of incidents which may or
may not be the outgrowth of the con-
troversy between the executive and
legislative branches Of our govern
inent But / am able to present in
this article the facts about a sensa-
tional episode in diplomacy which may
shed some light on the relations be-
tween Viscount Grey and President
Wilson and may explain the under
lone of irritation which some people
have professed to see recently in
Anglo-American rela tions.
Failed To Get Recall.
For the fact is that President Will
son asked for the recall of Major G.
X. Crauford Stuart, personal secre-
ftary of Viscount Grey, and failed to
iget his wish. To these persons who
have believed that Mr.. Wilson need
only nod his head and the British will
do his bidding the incident reveals
surprisingly uncompromising atti-
tude on the part of Lord Grey, which
must have given President Wilson Of
fense.
No one but the president can say
whether 1t had anything to d0 with
the fact that Lord Grey was not re-
ceived at the white house. Doubt
less the presidents physicians pre-
vented the reception. But people
familiar with what happened are sur
missing that the controversy over
Major Stuart's status did disturb
good feeling between the British En-
bassy and the white house.
Made Oerogatory Remarks.
1t was more than a year ago when
Major Stuart first made remarks on
social occasions which were deroga-
tory to the president of the United
States. He was at the time military
secretary for Lord Reading, head Of
the British war mission in the United
States.
Secretary Lansing was SO disturbed
by Major Stuart's behavior that he
asked that Major Stuart be sent home,
as he was persona non grata to the
American government. Major Stuart
himself appealed to Secretary Lansing
to be permitted to stay, saying the
stories were untrue. Lord Reading
was soon to depart anyway, and Major
Stuart went home with him just be-
fore the peace conference at Paris be-
gan.
Secretary Lansing had acted on his
own initiative in the matter and
thought he had made his views suf-
ficiently known to the British gov
ernment, when to his surprise the
same Major Stuart came back to the
United States as the personal Secre-
tary of Viscount Grey.
lo i-ts Wi n
ed British statesman visited the de-
partment of state, he was apprised OF
the previous incident concerning his
personal secretary, which it was sup
posed he had learned from the British
foreign office, but no formal request
was made that Major Stuart be sent
home.
President Asked Recall.
Out of a clear sky came an instruc-
tion however, from President Wilson
concerning Major Stuart, and Secre-
tary Lansing promptly transmitted 1t
to Viscount Grey. The latter wanted
to know the reasons for the request.
At first they were not given, inasmuch
as our government properly contended
that in diplomacy when person be-
comes mon grata" that is all that
is necessary For instance, before any
American ambassador can be received
in Great Britain, France or Italy. or
anywhere else, our government must
first INQUIRE if the individual is per-
sonallv satisfactory to the head OF the
foreign state Sometimes speech
made by an ambassador or his per
sonal attitude toward another country
expressed among his friends, is sufflc
!. lent to bar him The Judge in each
: case is the government receiving the
ambassador, and in diplomacy every
member of the staff of diplomat Is
subject to the same rules,
Nevertheless the department Of
state did transmit its reasons. anC
while it is not necessary to go into de
tail it is a fact that Major Stuart. was
accused of casting asperSlons on
member of President Wilson'S owr
household. He denied the charges
Our government repeated its demanc
that Major Stuart be sent home. The
case rested now on objections, MOI
merely of the secretary OF state but 6
separate set of charges which hat
made him undesirable so far as the
nresident of the United States was
concerned.
Request Ordinary One.
Ordinarily a request OF TINS sor
from the president to foreign am
bassador would be granted at once
But Major Stuart stayed on for a
least two months after that. He Wen
home with Viscount Grey. While the
latter was in the United States, Major
Stuart had charge Of the ambassador:
affairs, and while it is true that ht
was not on the diplomatic list nor IL
thu British diplomatic service. ou
government constructed him to be {
member of the ambassadors house
hold and as such subject to the su
pcrvision or authority at least of the
British ambassador.
So Major Stuart was not sent home
and Viscount Grey was not received
lust after the latter reached England
he wrote a letter to the London Time:
supporting the viewpoint of Presiden
wilson's opponents on the league o
nations Though the document was
report to the British people on thu
(con+jnued on PAGE Three)