Evening star., 1921-05-20
HARVEY REVEALS u. S. POLICY
IN EUROPE AT LONDON DINNER
Ambassador Declares This Nation Will
Have Nothing to Do With League, But
Will Cooperate in Foreign Affairs.

equipped with the same candor. frank
ness. traight-forwardnesS, sincerity
and consideration which have charac-
teriZed to marked degree the utter
ances Of all your chief officers Of
state with whom 1 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
delusive and more mischievous, he said.
than to pretend that the Americans
proffer of a helping hand was attribut-
able primarily to "a tender suscepti
bility.'
'It is not" Mr.. Harvey declared. "My
country. stands ready to work with
yours. because, first. it is to our own
! interest to do so; and. secondly. because
it is to the advantage of both. We do
| not recent being called idealists. even,
as sometimes happens, by those whose
anticipated reward for extolling our al
truism is transparently material But
We have come to realize in the past few
years that ideals too often resolve into
illusions, and illusions we have found to
be both dangerous and profitless.
I've deceive ourselves occasionally.
Even to this day at rare intervals an
ebullient sophomore seeks applause by
more prevalent until recently was the
impression that we went to war to res
cue humanity from all kinds of menac-
ing perils.
Boys Fought for America.
Not 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.
We were not too proud to fight.
whatever that may mean. We were
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
sentiment. perilous present" Ambas-
sador Harvey said:
For years 1 have heard it pro-
claimed that war between Great
Britain and America had ceased to be
declaration to be denied general ap-
probation. Yet it is clear that what
Is alleged to be fact is more than
an assumption. No resumption of an
armed conflict is unimaginable. Any
day may witness renewal of the
war of the roses. any day the clash
of the blue and the gray in the
swamps of Virginia.
But so unlikely are such happen
ings that the suggestion. even though
it incredibly were made. would evoke
no more than derisive smile. But
it 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
a conflict that justifies our forgetting
it as completely as the battles of
Bosworth field and Appomatox have
faded from our recollection?
War Now Seems Incredible.
Such, 1 am happy to report faith
fully in the teeth of all the mischief
makers and scandal-mongers of both
nations, has become the settled con-
viction of our people, and l hope, and
doubt not. of yours.
I'VE will get nowhere until we
abruptly put aside academic discus
sion of theoretical proposals and man.
fully face. without mincing or winc-
realize the time has come to practice
what we have been preaching and
demonstrate our fidelity by our acts.
That is the business primarily of
governments and officials charged
with public responsibilities. Very
all its branches in support of its
leader. is both willing and ready"
Mr.. Harvey cited the Washington
administrations proposal for solu-
ton of the Pacific communications
problem. the American stand On rep
arations and the designation Of Amer
lean members for the allied councils
as indications of this willingness and
readiness.
President Desires to Cooperate.
Because the President has exem-
plifled his .avowal of obligation. ii
must not be inferred that he proposes
to become an international meddleF."
continued the ambassador. He would
be the last to intervene or be drawn
into any matter of no concern to his
own country, but also no one realizes
more clearly than he that the United
States is. of necessity. deeply inter-
ested in proper economic adjustments
and the just settlement of matters of
world wide Importance under discus
sion. and desires helpfully to cooper
ate
There still seems to linger in the
minds Of many here the impression
that in some way or other. by hook or
by crook, unwittingly, surely. unwill-
ingly. America may yet be beguiled
into the league of nations. Let me
show you how utterly absurd such a
notion is.
Il need not recall the long contest
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