Evening star., 1924-08-06

Seven years ago this summer, when
the Germans seemed to be Submarin
ing the allies into defeat the clamor
in Great Britain was. for America to
hurry in and help win the war. To-
day the cry is for the United States
TO come in and help win the peace. 1t
is not screamed from the housetops.
That sort of thing isn't done in the
British Isles. But il is uttered in ur-
gent accents, just the same.
1t is tactfully and discreetly voiced
by the Macdonald government. Among
the populaCe the appeal finds franker
expression, mingled with impatence
In many quarters and with downright
Indignation in others. Everywhere in
Great Britain the United States re-
luctance to come in" and cooperate
in what is euphoniously called "the
settlement of Europe" is discussed
with deep disappointment.
Because these impressions are
recorded during the midst of the in
terallled reparatonS conference in
London. the United States. attitude
toward European affairs is the main
theme of discussion at the moment
when Britons take thought of Amer
lea But il is by no means their only
denizen of John Bulls principal
island goes TO sleep at night without
thinking Of the $4,577,o0O,0o0 which
Britain owes the United States, and
of the S150, 100000 year interest she
must pay US.
Debt .Fly in Ointment"
The American debt is unmistak ably
the fly in the ointment of Anglo
American relations of the present
hour. Until it is readjusted or le-
moved it would be idle for anybody
but Pilgrim dinner orators or Eng
disappearing union entertainers to
dwell upon the unalIoyed friendship
between Great Britain and the United
States. That friendship is undoubted-
" too well founded to be under
mined, even by. the explosives which
the unpopular Baldwin debt settle
ment left behind. But that it has
undergone strain, and will continue
remedial action ensues, is as palpable
as the British Empire itself
No serious investigator of Anglo
American conditions in Great Britain
can escape that conclusion. Our
stock in these parts might rise If we
beat-ou protestations of helpful
ness"in the European settlement into
some tangible form of co-opera ton
yet.the nightmare of the debt would
still stalk through British dreams.
The American in search of British
impressions must dig for them. The
war. changed many things in the
United Kingdom, but it did not an
nihilate the BritiSher'S passion for
keeping his own counsels. He does
not :hurl his views about America at
you Unless you prod him. you might
leave his soil thinking he cherished
no semblance Of a grudge against US
for in his attitude toward the indi-
vidual American he is still the soul
of friendly hospitality.
Help to Aviator Liked.
Unconditional though he be, the Brit
tsher is easily touched by evidences
of American good will. When our
destroyers rushed from the Philip
pines-to rescue Flight Comdr. Mac
Laren's wrecked a1rplane off the
coast of Burmah, John Bulls great
heart beat in genuine affection for
the United States. What he is won
dering about-what he seems incapa-
BILE of understanding-is why we do
not. reveal in our political relations
with Great Britain that spirit OF
knightliness which the rescue of Mac
Jaren personified. The Britisher, in
other words, cannot comprehend why
we do not play the game with re-
gard to the European settlement, and
quite particularly why We do not play
II in conn lection with the debt
There are two distinctly diverse
schools of thought on the question OF
the debt. The minority school is rep
resented by the official and banking