The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-12
NOT TREADING
PATH TO WAR
Friction With Great Britain
Maybe, But Nothing a
Bit More Serious
IRISH QUESTION
CAUSING FEELING
But so Long as There Are Americans of
Irish Descent it Will BE Heard of in
Congress - Disarmament Is Sure to
Come.
BY DAVID L.AWRFNCF

by I)AN ID LAW RENEE.
Special Despatch to The Reformer.)
WASHINGTON. Feb. I2.-Whatever
passed between the American CORES
pondents in London and Sir Auckland
Geddes in their confidential talk relatingI
to the possibility of a war between
the United States and Great Britain. all
Washington is sure that an exaggerated
Importance has been given to the incl
dent and that if Sir Auckland has any
idea that the relations between this
country and England have reached a
critical state, he has perhaps been mis-
led into taking seriously many of the
anti-British demonstrations in the
United States.
There Is no denying the existence of
an antl-British feeling right here in con-
glass There is. no denying that our gov-.
eminent departments have frequently
had friction of more or less disconcert-
ing kind with British officials More
over, there Is no denying that British
public opinion il building false homes
if it thinks the Harding administration
will feel any more kindly toward "A can
collation. OF war debt than did the VIII
son administration
Sources of controversy exist but any
meath the surface here will find first of
all that government officials as we'll as
members OF congress consider anot her
war of any kind in the present genera
ton an absurditv if not an impossible
lty, and that they look upon the pub
llshed suggestion that America and Eng
land are treadng the path leading to
war as about as accurate a reflex of
the true situation as the statement of
future. conflict between America and
Abyssina.
But aside from such absurd conse-
quences as war. there are unquestIon-
able factors OF growing Importance i'm
the relations between the United States
and Great Britain, which Sir Auckland
Geddes recognized while he was here
and which in the interest of friendship
between the two countries are not be-
ing camouhaged wherever anglo Ameri-
can questions arc frankly 1:~"ussed
First and foremost in the situation in
Washington is the influence of the Irish
question Englishmen resent American
criticism on this subject. but so long
as there are Americans of Irish descent
in the United States, lust So long will
there be speeches and even bitter feel
ing on the part OF members of congress
representing districts, where those
Americans of Irish origin reside
As for a precedent, these Irish sympa-
thizcrs point always to the fact that
at time when America was in the
throes of Civil war. England went fur
Their than America has ever gone in the
Irish controversy when she recognized
the belligerency of the confederacy.
What is happening on the Irish question
isn't particularly new to the present
generation either. 1t is not so long ago
since the Democrat national convention
adopted O. plank expressing sympathy
with the aspirations of the Beers in
their conflict with the Mother country
The records are full of American express
sIons of sympathy with liberals and in
dependent movements in all parts of the
world. The cause OF Ireland will con-
tinue to be agitated in the hope that
moral force will persuade the British
government to give Ireland autonomy
but the suggestion that the United
States may some day employ physical
force for any such purpose is character
lied as ridiculous even by the most ac
tive of the Irish sympathizers in our
government.
To read the dispatches about the
building of an American navy at least
the equal of any oIher power. the 1ar-
away observer might think the general
board of the navy and the committees
of CONGRESS were really aiming at Great
Britain. but that isn't true The naval
policy of the Republican and Democratic
administrations il tending to coincide in
the sense that all parties agree Amer
lea must enter a disarmament confer
ence with lust as powerful a hand as
ANYBODY else in order that reduction
Of armament may be really begun.
Heretofore the powerful nations have
refused to reduce ornaments and natlir-
ally tho nations of lesser strength
Rnt there i nothin~ in the discussion
over armament which threatens good
relationship between the United States
and Great Britain. An agreement on ma
val armament is fully expected BY the
eadne men Of 70 on" an other na4ons a I'm
ritations over trade and such things as
cable communication will no doubt CON
time but nobody here considers the
suggestion Of war between the two Enc
'oi