Evening star., 1924-12-30
ASSERTS BRITISH
ALOOFNESS PAST
Ambassador Howard Says
/ U. S. Can Stand Off, But
Own Nation Cannot.

The United States, with no fear about
security because of its geographical po-
sition, can hold aloof, but Goth cen-
tury Great Britain must choose be-
tween an association of nations and
the notorious doctrine of the balance
of power" with its spectre of inevi-
table wars, Sir Esme Howard, the
British ambassador, declared last
night in an address before the Ameri-
can Political Science Association
Speaking on British Policy and the
Balance of Power" the ambassador
traced through the centuries the de-
Nelopment of the European doctrine
that aimed at "a just equilibrium be-
tween the nations as should Prevent
any one of them from becoming suffl-
GENTLY strong to enforce it's will upon
the rest"
Doctrine Inevitable.
The doctrine was not of British
origin, he said, but inevitably it be-
came corner stone of British policy
and continued SO for 500 years for
obvious reasons of self-preservation
Due to her geographical position, he
added, Great Britain today could no
more hold altogether aloof from Eu-
ropean league than she could former
~ stand apart from the system of
Joining sides against the stronger power
At present, he declared, he could
see no power threatening to domi-
nate Europe. There is breathing
space in which to consider the whole
situation, he asserted
The Ambassador expressed the hone
that the statesmen of his country
may rise to the height of the task
that Will be imposed upon them and
avoid returning to the system of
balance of power without sacrificing
any of the good will and friendship
of Great Britain's friends in other
parts of the world One of the prin-
cipal duties of Great Britain in the
future, he declared, will be to ex-
plain and interpret the necessities
and difficulties of Europe to America
and the overseas dominions while, a.
the same time, working in Europe
for an enduring peace.
AXIS L. S. Understand.
But I would ask Americans to
try to understand the difficult posi-
tion of Great Britain" he continued,
Every man in the British Isles de-
sires the closet understanding with
the United States. That is the cardi-
nal principal of our policy and must
remain so. We are, however, COM
PEELED 1t the same time to consider
our situation in Europe, and we have
also to consult and regulate our poll
cy according to the views and opin-
ions of other partners of the British
Empire whose interests are not
directly concerned with Europe, and
1t is this which may at times make
1t difficult for the English-speaking
nations outside of Europe to under
stand our policy, owing to our more
complex problems"
Speaking of the doctrine of the
balance of power and it's application
for SO many years, Sir Esrne said:
Il do not pretend that England has
taken the side of the weaker in all
these long centuries of war out of
any especially chivalrous or Quixotic
sentiment. though no doubt this did
in some extent influence her policy.
"Generally speaking, however, 1t
was just the instinct of self-preser-
walton, the knowledge that any power
which dominated Europe would prob
ably dominate the seas. and that any
power which dominated the seas
would ultimately dominate England.
All that is so clear that he who runs
may read.
For that reason, and that reason
alone, the English, like every Euro
pean people which valued their own
independence above every other good,
even d fdA fSOlHdId llnpOSSu Oh Eu-
rope by some modern emperor, were
prepared to fight to maintain the bal
snce of power by which alone that
independence should be secured"
At the conclusion of the night ses
sion of the American Political Science
Association David Jayne Hill, former
American Ambassador to Germany,
who presided, thanked the British
Ambassador for his address. He said
~ 10 11rho
has accomplished for the civilization
of the world
After an address by Prof. James w.
Garner of the University of Illinois
on the subject of Limitations Upon
National Sovereignty in International
Relations Mr. Hill said that I'VE are
all agreed that states are passing out
of the dark penumbra of absolute
power into the light of reason and
Of law"
ANYWAY it's a courteous thing to