The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-20
HARVEY ANNOUNCES
THAT He WILL Join IN
S|LES|A DISCUSSION
New Ambassador Does Not
DiSappoint British Audience
Which Expected State
ment of U. S. Policy

Lne American ambassador, GeOlSe
Harvey, tonight was enveloped in far
deeper interest than usually attends
a reception to new ambassador by
this international club. Not only was
it Mr.. Harvey's first public appear
ance since his appointment to the post,
but there was general expectation
that he would reveal something of the
new administration policy toward
European affairs.
The ambassador did not disap-
point his audience, for he sharply
brushed aside any lingering iliu-
sion that the United states would
have any relations whatever with
the League of Nations. He also
announced his appointment to rep
resent the President in the
preme council in the discussion
over Silesia.
The British prime minister made an
eloquent speech, but rather disappoint-
ed those who hoped for more of in
ternational plain speaking, which is
the fashion of the moment. The pre-
mier- described the plight of Europe
enmeshed in ancient feuds and gave
warm welcome to the new cooperation
of America in world affairs.
The Duke of Connaught presided
Mr.. Harvey paid tribute to the Pilgrims
as the most distinctive link in the chain
of blood relationship between the British
and American peoples, and one of the
most potent agencies of civilization. Their
activities, he said had been a sustained
labor of love which only now were be-.
ginning to fruitify in an earnest desire
and determination on the part of both
peoples to blow away the mists of mis-
construction and misunderstanding which
far too long had hidden their true ma
lures one from the other.
WHERE HEART LIES
Inevitably you to the east of us derive
your information respecting our public
opinion from the great cities on our At
lantic seaboard," the ambassador con-
tinued, precisely as our friends to the
west of US take theirs from the border
states on the Pacific. differences thus
drawn may be right or wrong, but
whether right or wrong. their base OBJ
viousy is the subject of sectional and
peculiar influences. The heart Of our re-
public lies in the great plain which
stretches from the Alleghanies to the
Rockies. where rests the dominant poiit-
ical power of the nation"
1t was from the hardy stock of that
region, Mr.. Harvey declared, that Amer
lea had drawn seven of 10 of its recent
chief executives. including President
Harding.
President Harding was portrayed by
the ambassador as a typical modern
American, proud Of his own country
but jealous of no other mans; resolute
in maintaining his own nations rights,
but not less scrupulous in recognizing the
Fights of others; a fair, just, modest
man, humble but unafraid."
SENSE PEOPLES YEARNING
Il rejoice" proceeded the ambassador,
,"tEat the King and the President see
eye to eye and sense the yearnings OF
the peoples to whose service their lives
have proudly been dedicated
Il came to the Court of st. James ut
terly destitute of the traditional weapons
OF diplomacy, but fully equipped with
the same candor, frankness, straight
fcrwardness, sincerity and consideration
which have characterized to a marked
degree the utterances of all your chief
officers of state with whom / have thus
far come into contact.
Precisely as your ambassador went to
Washington as an unalloyed Briton,
come to London as an unalloyed Amer
lean"
Nothing could be more futile more de-
lusive and more mischevous, he said.
than to pretend that the Americans
proffer of helping hand was attributed
primarily to "a tender susceptibility"
1T is not Mr.. Harvey declared. MY
country stands ready to work with yours,
because, first, 1t is to our own interest
to do so, and secondly, because it is
to the advantage of both. We do not
resent being called idealists, even as
sometimes happens. by those who antici-
pated reward for extolling our altruism
is transparently material. But we have
come to realize in the past few years
that ideals too often resolve into illu-
s;ons, ard illusions we have found to
be both dangerous and proftless
DECEIVE SELVES
We deceive ourselves occasionally.
Even to this day an ebullient sopho-
r.ore seeks applause by shouting that
1--WE won the war" Far more prevalent
until recently was the impression that
we went to war to rescue humanity from
all kinds of menacing perils.
mot few remain convinced that we
sent our young soldiers across to save
this Kingdom. France and Italy. That
is not fact We sent them solely to
save the United States of America, and
most reluctantly and laggardly at that,
I'VE were not too proud to fight. what
ever that may mean. We were afraid
not to fight. That is the real truth of
the matter So we came along toward
the end and helped you and your allies
shorten the war. That is all we did
and that is all we claim to have DONE
Discussing what he called the "senti-
ment, periolous present" Ambassador
Harvey said:
CONFLICT IS POSSIBLE
For years / have heard 1t pnoclaimed
that war between Great Britain and
America had ceased to be conceivable.
Never have I known the declaration to
be denied general appreciation Yet it
is clear that what is alleged to be
fact is no more than an assumption. No
resumption of armed conflict is unim-
aginable. Any day may witness a re-
newal of the Roses, any day the clash
Of the Blue and the Gray in the swamps
of Virginia.
'But SO unlikely are such happenings
that the suggestion. even though 1t in
credibly were made. would evoke no
more than a derisive smile. But 1t is
one thing to stamp constantly upon an
absurd notion and another thing never
to think of it at all.
Now the question rises. Have not our
countries reached point with respect
to the remotest possibility of con-
flict that justifies our forgetting 1t as
completely as the battles of Bosworth
field and Appomattox have faded from
our recollection?
Such, am happy to report faithful
~ in the teeth of all the mischief
makers ana scandal mongers Of both
/. nations has become the settled convic-
htion of our people. and / hope and doubt
not Of yours.
I'VE will get nowhere until we abb
ruptly put aside academic discussion of
theoretical proposals and manfully
face. without mincing or wincing, the
actual realities. We must realize the
time has come to practice what we have