Evening star., 1921-07-30
RESTRAINT MARKS
NORTHCL|FFEW VISIT
Washington Officials, Taking
Cue From British, Make
Greetings Informal.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

ing how narrow the Atlantic ocean
can be at times when criticisms of
Newspaper publisher in A foreign
country can touch official life in an
other capital and give it an uneasy
twentyfour hours.
II Lord NorthcIiffe had not been so
free with his pen in writing about
Prime Minister Lloyd George and
Lord Curzon. the British foreign Sec
retary. official Washington would
have made a great social event of his
visit AS IL was, officials who had
planned openly to show their friend
ship for a distinguished foreign pub
Usher, took their cue from the action
OF the British embassy, which made
a last-minute cancellation of dim
ner that was to be given in honor of
his lordship.
Make. Informal Visits.
Lord Northcliffe did spend an hour
and twenty minutes at the White
House with President Harding and
also called on Secretary Hughes at
the State Department. but the visits
were at the executive Offices and at
the State Department building. Both
We're informal visits. such as might
occur IL any prominent American
publisher paid his respects.
There was every evidence of cor
diality. Socially, however. the gov
ernment took no part in any enter
tainment. as might otherwise have
been the case. Relations between
governments are too often strained by
mistakes OF etiquette. II IL still in
sisted in some quarters that one Of
the chief reasons why Eiscount Ed
ward Grey was not received by Presi-
dent Wilson during his special visit to
the United States was the fact that
Viscount Grey mingled socially with
mol / tf.s.1 Nf M tp
the Senate.
Notwithstanding the obvious deli
cacies of the situation, Lord North
cline had very good time, and OIL
ficial Washington reGshed his visit,
especially because OF the unusual at
mosphere it created.
The newspaper men OF Waspington.
feeling no such restraints as anect
the government in such a situation,
gave his lordship perhaps the most
distinctive entertainment that any
foreigner ever received in the capital
This may have been inspired by pro-
fessional admiration for a man who
ousted one ministry and transformed
the entire conduct of the war by
Great Britain, or II may have been
the result of the splendid impression
which Lord Northcliffe had made
among those who know that he never
permits words of unfriendly criticism
'of the United States to be printed
in any of the scores of the newspapers
which he owns and controls. Anyway,
il seemed fitting that this visitor,
whose sincerity as friend of the
United States has never been doubted.
should receive some token of the
" widespread appreciation in which he
is held here. 1t so happened that the
only ones in Washington who were
able to manifest openly their regard
for Northcliffe were the newspaper
men.
Cause Of Hostility.
Although Washington is not familiar
with the niceties OF English politics.
the impression given by the North
cliffe party is that the recent outburst
of hostility on the part OF the British
government grew out OF a suggestion
in one of the Northcliffe papers. that
the British delegation to the forth
coming disarmament conference at
Washington should be composed of
men who understood the American
people
The Nor.hclinte editorials plainly
disapproved of the idea that Lord
Curzon. British foreign secretary.
should be a member Of the delega-
tion. contending that he was of a
British type not suited for such an
important mission. Similarly. the
the proposed departure of Prim.
Minister Lloyd George from England.
and has used practically the same
arguments against his coming 10
America as were employed in the
effort to dissuade President Wilson
from going to Europe at the time Of
the peace conference.
The Northcliffe idea seems to he
that home affairs are in much too
critical condition to be handled by
a leaderless cabinet. Lord North
cliffe himself thinks Viscount Bryce.
former British ambassador to the
United States and distinguished au-
thor OF books on American life. and
Lord Robert Cecil. who worked in
such close harmony with the Amer
better suited to present the view
point of the British people.
Against japanese Alliance.
The visit of Lord Northcliffe to
Washington. coupled with his severe
criticisms of British policy. may be
the forerunners OF important events
in British politics later on. when the
disarmament conference is in prog
ress Lord Northcliffe himself is go
ing to the far east, and will be there
while the diplomats are assembled in
Washington. He has openly ex-
pressed himself against the renewal
of the Anglo-Japanese alliance, but.
nevertheless. is a good friend of the
Japanese people.
1t would not be surprising IL Lord
Northcliffe played a prominent part
through his newspapers in shaping
British policy at the disarmament
conference Some observers think
that with true Northcliffe skill the
distinguished publisher has set the
stage for a supreme effort to oust an
other British ministry.
Although the invitation to dinner
at the British embassy was with
drawn. Lord Northcliffe is under
stood to have met the same guests
at dinner rendered by Mrs. Z. B.
Mclean at her country home last
night. The only difference was said
to have been a change of host mad
place of the dinner.
Lord Northcliffe. nevertheless.
called on Sir Auckland Geddes, Brit
ish ambassador. yesterday, to pay
his respects. and It is understood that
Sir Auckland was one OF the guests
at the Mclean home last night, al
though the list Of those present was
| withheld.
Lord Northciifre left last night
after the Mclean dinner. arriving in
! ing the day there his itinerary in
cludes Toronto and Vancouver, where
| he will board ship for his trip TO
Australia. New Zealand. China. Japan.
the Philippines and India.
He had a busy day yesterday. At
luncheon he was entertained by the
overseas writers. a body OF American
newspaper men who had worked
abroad, and later he Joined the group
of newspaper writers at the Presi-
dents miJweekly conference. 1t
was raining in torrents when he
| journeyed up Pennsylvania avenue for
! his visit to the Capitol and Senate
press gallery. He talked shop" for
| a short time with correspondents.
Copyright. 1921