Evening star., 1923-08-27
PAPERS IN LONDON
SCORE B|RKENHEAD
Spoke Entirely for Himself at
Wi|IiamstoWn, View OF
British Press.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Prc>s.
LONDON. August 27.--The Earl OF
Birk enhead has received little sym
pathy from the British press for the
position in which he finds himself
as a result of the first address of his
American tour, delivered last Friday
evening before the institute of Poll
tics at Willamstown. In fact, the
press tends to heap Goals on the fire
laid by Henry breckenridge, assistant
secretary of war under President
Wilson, when he criticized the earl
for remarks about Mr.. Wilson.
The Morning Post asserts that
"the effect of Birkenhead's injudicious
remarks is to confirm the isolationists
in the wisdom of their policy OF turn
ing their backs on Europe.
In an editoriai headed "LEnfant
Terrible Abroad" the Daily News says
that the British do not like the Amer
fcan tariff laws but would welcome
an almost prohibitive tariff on the
Importation of former members of
British cabinets and a rigid customs
examination of the contents of their
lecture tour portfolios.
The Westminster Gazette hopes
that undue Importance will not be
attached to Birk enhead'S words. as
serting that there are few politicians
in Great Britain today who now
speak SO exclusively for themselves
as does Birkenhead. This paper
points out the unfairness of arguing
that Woodrow Wilson is the agent of
postwar conditions.
Europe is what it is because of the
mistakes and miSdeedS of those who
have actively Influenced it's develop
ment and who were by no means dis
posed to help w ilson when his power
was at its highest" it says.
The Daily Herald, the labor news
paper, offers an apology for the eN-
chancellor. saying: He has long been
regarded as a national nuisance. and
has now become an international
danger"
Has Some Defense.
Some of the afternoon papers. how
ever. stanchly defend Lord Birken-
heads remarks concerning Wilson.
and take the position that too much
fuss" is being made over the incident
in America. The Pail Mall Gazette
says: The address contained nothing
that we should have thought to be
other than universally recognized
truths"
"Birkenhead said no more than the
sober fact when he spoke of Wilson's
having hope as his principal equip
ment. international discussion must
become Il meaningless formality If II
is not permissible to touch in the
gentlest fashion upon facts which do
not happen to be fiattering.
people. but they prefer the free speech
to be on their own side. They have not
vet attained :. the philosophic habit of
mind in which Euglshmen receive the
lectures of imported pussyfoots. bolshe-
viks. Sim FeinerS and IL whole world
wide menagerie upon the depravity OF
their own character and policy"
The same attitude is taken by the
Evening Standard, which concludes with
the remark that Americans in general
are not very shy in delivering opinions
of England while in this country.
Roosevelt said some exceedingly
straight things" the Standard says.
And go have many American ambaSSa-
dors. AS Il rule such criticisms have
been taken in good humor even if vigor-
ously challenged.
Unless it is held that any kind of
criticism is inappropriate to such occa-
eions, it seems impossible to impute the
smallest lapse Of courtesy to Lord
Birkenhead."