The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-03-22
GIBBS SAYS WORLD
LOOKS TOHARDMG
in GRAVEST CRISIS
Wants Him to Lead, Says
Englishman at Farewell
Dinner at BiltmOre.
FEARS ANOTHER WAR
Two Months Here Assures
Him Friendship of U. S.
and Britain Is Intact.
WILL SAIL HOME TODAY
British Debt to America of
Billion Pounds to Be Paid
in Full, He Says.
WILL SAIL HOME TO-DAY

The rest of the world still looks to
America to take the leadership in the
formation of a programme for perma-
nent world peace. and hopefully ex-
poets President Harding TO embrace
the opportunity that once was missed
but still exists for America to accept
and maintain that leadership.
That was the opinion unequivocally
expressed last night by Sir Philip
Gibbs, English war correspondent and
lecturer, in a farewell address before
the Allied Loyalty League. whose guest
he was at dinner at the Biltmore.
In simple. plain language Sir Philip
gave an audience OF 1000 men and
women rapid fire series OF vrile i'm
pressions he has cleaned of the Arneri-
can people curing his sojourn OF
couple OF mAnths. He sails for Eng
land on the AAuitania to-day. and al
though he haA been heckled and sub
jected to no little unpleasantness in
his public appearances here by persons
OF Irish sympa thies. he announced that
he would tell the people OF Great Brit
ain that these things counted for moth
ing against the great and generous
friendship OF America for Great Brit
ain"
The future OF the world Sir Philip
said, depends on President harding's
leadership, whion he hoped would point
the way toward disarmament America,
he said. need not fear Engiand's fiscal
deht to her, and when the two nations
America and Great Britain--fall apart
1.,1y ot mo
Secs Europe mt the Crisis.
Europe" said Sir Philip, is at the
crisis Of her fate. The next Ave years
will tell the tale. whether she Is to main
tain the splendor and the beauty Of her
former life. Great dangers threaten, and
II is possible there may come another
war. If that happens It's the end OF
Europe. 1t is possible that Russia and
Germany might link themselves; II is
possible that Russia in her ignorance
might absorb some of the Mohammedan
fanaticism or II Is possible from Russia
may come yet some sweeping anarchism.
There arc people in the world who
would like to see the BRITISH Empire fall
TO pieces. In some parts We are not
very popular. and it's partly our own
fault. But think, taken all round. that
most people will agree that the British
Empire at the present time is needful
10 the peace Of the world.
~The rest OF the world liz awaiting a
leadership among the nations and 1t Is
my hum BILE opinion that 1t is America that
must take up that leadership and justi-
~ our hope In her. We in Europe are
Suspicious of one another. We cannot
arrive anywhere in our efforts at world
settlement when the greatest nation in
the world Is outside that settlement.
We are looking for the counsel. the
friendship and the loyalty OF the United
States.
chance for leadership. missed it from one
cause and another. But the chance Is
still here. have been about your coun-
try. to twenty-one Of your greatest cities.
and have felt In little way at least the
pulse OF your people. I've met those
who are waiting for a new leadership,
who are waiting for the CALL for that
great spiritual driving force they felt
during the war. Some of them have told
me that since the war they have fallen
back to a lassitude, to the gathering of
wealth and to intellectual pleasures that
somehow do not seem good enough.
Hopes u. =. VIII Call Council.
"If I'm right and think I am, that
rs the great chance for the new leader.
President Harding, I believe, has the
greatest chance In the world IL backed
ND by public sentiment as think he will
be. This Is no hot air or rhetoric. but
the future OF the world. In my opinion.
depends on President Harding's leader
ship.
cit Is not for me to do more than
hope for some things from that leader
ship. But | do hope that America will
call for some sort cf world council
that she will realize that she cannot
hold aloof. cannot surround herself with
p Chinese wall. that some effort will
be made 10 demobillze 40 that the great
burden OF war preparations may be re-
duced.
''if your leader will make that move
he may not have the governments of the
world behind him. but. by God. he'll
have the peoples OF the world behind
him"
Tho British Empire. sir Philip said,
had some 1890, 0Oo. 900 owing II at the
conclusion OF the war. and she owed
America In round figures 1000. GOO. 900.
I'VE are paying the interest. and We'll
pay the principal" he said. ITS not
in the heart or the character of England
to 90 otherwise.
Sir Philip referred to last Friday
nights all-American meeting In Madison
Square Garden, and the reference
brought a tremendous cheer. lie had
touched briefly upon the opposition" nc
bad experienced In some Of his public
appearances In New York. and con-
tinued:.
Something happened the other night
In Madison Square Garden. and II was
something needed.
1T make me think Of that day three
years ago when everything looked black
when everything we had fought for
seemed menaced. That was In March,
1918. Then one day down the road came
q new flag-a flag we'd not seen much
Of II came down the old shell torn
roads. past the dead trees and finally
Into the firing line. And the shadow
o. the menace that had been so terrible
psssed.
crow since those days as an observer
I have become a student of the effect
Of the war upon the world. My first.
greatest and last conviction il that as
We were together in war to win vic
tory SO must we stand In peace to win
that too. The hope OF the men who
stood in those old trenches of France
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