The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-30
GEDDES QUITS AS U. s. AMBASSADOR
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 significance. Notwithstanding some difficulties over shipping questions, involving the prohibition question, both countries are regarded as one on virtually all questions of world importance.
 Post Most Important.
 The selection of an ambassador to Washington, however is regarded as ,of great moment in England. the post being looked upon in British cabinet circles as the most important in the diplomatic service, if for no other reason than that the representative of the empire here is not in such inn mediate touch with the foreign of flee as are ambassadors and ministers lat European capitals.
 Sir Auckland was appointed to Washington in March, 1920, coming here after being head of the medi- cal department at McGill university at Montreal. For that reason, al- though born and educated in Scot land, he has been regarded here as somewhat of a Canadian, a charac ter to which he was not averse be- cause of the increasing importance of Canadian questions in the Unl,eo States At the same time it was not forgotten that he was married to a New York woman, Miss Isabelle Ross, in 1906.
 Vigorous and reflecting in out ward physical appearance his mlI- tary experience in two wars, Sir Auckland was the youngest ambassa- dor in Washington, being still in his forties. From the first he took an active part in official life, both in the field of diplomatic negotiation and conference and on the public platform. Although he came here after having been president of the rf da In ri tie1t q net and with a reputation for con- siderable knowledge of trade affairs, he perhaps performed his most mo- table service during the prelimina ies of the Washingto conference on lim- itation of armament and Pacific questions and as a member of the British delegation to the conference itself.
 Wanted War Debt Funded.
 He was deeply interested in trade questions, believing that if any se- rious friction should arise between the two countries, it would be over such matters, and no phase of such subjects are the tariff, immigration and the merchant marine escaped his attention. He also was active III associations for the funding of Brit aims wartime debt to the United States.
 During the passage by Congress of the McCumber- Fordney tariff bill, Ambassador Geddes with other dlplo- mats in Washington was regarded by some as actively. even If indirectly, opposing enactment of such meas nre and that question was taken up on the floor of the Senate with the result that some of the diplomats explained their positions officially to Secretary Hughes.
 Sir Auckland, however. insofar as concerned a much discussed speech of his at Chicago was shown py the stenographic record mercy to haoe suggested that the resumption ot trade between Great Britain and the limited States after war, was large lv dependent upon the capacity or the British empire to buy American goods and pay for them with dollars in America.
 Attacked By Watson.
 Attacked by Senator Watson of ln- diana for some statements on tne American merchant marine reporteu to have been made in the same speech, the ambassador declared his nosition had been recently descrlpeu and referred to the stenographlc re- mort. This showed that he said It was rieht of the United States to "build up great merchant marine and added that when 1t comes 10 the nuestion of the balance or traoe pe tween the countries that means that there will be diminishing credits dollar credits-for the Brltish to nurchace your goods within this country" in the conditions arranged TOT the arrivaI at American sports of immi- grants from Great Britain and oi- rected particular attention to Ellls Island N. Y. He made a persoha,, n,, visit of inspection there and upon ms return to England last summer sup mitted a report of his observations toeather with come conclusions which, while amounting to recon mendations, were admired In w Wasn- inrton for the diplomatic tact ois played in setting forth ms posi'io"'