Evening star., 1925-05-04
KEEP PEACE OR LOSE ALL AID
OF u. S., HOUGHTON YARNS

Continued from First PageD
have the relations between our peoples
been so closely and so firmly knit. I
look forward with happy anticipation
to my life among you. / shall strive
to carry on the noble traditions estab-
lished by that long line of distinguish
ed A nericans who have preceded me
here.
BE assured that | take up my work
among you in the full confidence that
any differences of opinion which may
arise between our governments will
be met in that spirit of fairness and
frankness which has characterized
their dealings in the past and which /
believe merely reflects the desire of
our two peoples, like self-respecting
neighbors, to get through the days
work with a minimum of pickering
overwhelmed by maximum of good
Will. Again | thank YOU"
HOughton's Speech.
Mr. Houghton said:
Il rise naturally with some embar-
rasSment. | realize that ! have done
nothing to deserve this welcome. But
| am comforted by the reflection that
no man receiving it would possibly
appropriate ii to himself On behalf
and the great people | have the honor
to represent, as well as on my own
behalf, ! thank you.
1T was Lord Lyons, ] believe. who
said that the proudest feather in his
cap was the fact that he had left
America without making a single
speech. But | take certain pride,
nevertheless, in the fact that ! left
Germany with only one speech TO
my hot in iSh =
instances like these aftex all. which
make diplomacy SO ~ active-to
the diplomat and to the people TO
which he is accredited.
Tonight, of course, ii does not
count This dinner has come TO he
something more than a mere occa-
sion of hospitality. 1t has become,
in fact, a significant. if unofficial, step
in the routine whereby an American
ambassador takes office. And | should
be within tradition, | suspect, if !
undertook now to say something
about Angio-American relations.
But what is there to say? James
Russell Lowell, in. one of his essays,
speaks of the difficulty of beguilinG
new melody out of the one-Stringed
instrument upon which we have been
drumming so long | take the quo
tation, of course, quite apart from the
have this evening in mind.
Could Essay Task.
But when | began to ask myself
what / could say to you tonight, and
by some unconscious cerebration that
long forgotten phrase of his came to
my mind, il did seem to describe a
possible situation with some accuracy.
| say ossible. for l fancy that the
much thrummed instrument still is
somewhere about the premises, ]
could, | dare say, if pushed to II. essay
a few variations on its single string
and the audience is here and helpless.
But, frankly. | see neither use nor
propriety in such an effort; | am not
enamored of the obvious.
Il cannot bring myself 10 think that
you need assurances from me of
American good will and understand
ing: rather does il seem to me that
there are relations between the Eng
disappearing peoples which we may
safely take for granted and regarding
which certain reticence is instinc-
tive. and, in my poor opinion. de
sirable. | believe wholeheartedIy that
tangled up and involved in these
friendly relations is the prom
ise of better and happier world.
Friendship Well Grounded.
But surely the time is past when
we need to dig up this friendship, as
II were, on festive occasions, to eX-
anime the roots and felicitate our
selves on their growth and vitality
1t is not a tender plant: it has en-
dured through days which meant
deeds rather than words. We have
no reason to anticipate its untimely
demise. But / will confess TO you
that in moments of rare and solitary
self-communion / sometimes wonder
If it were not we'll that it he spared
the scorching winds of after-dinner
Oratory.
Il am going to assume, therefore,
that you will not expect me to refer
specifically to hands across the sea.
or blood is thicker than water or
even to our common law / hest
tate, but | think we might perhaps
usefully include also the language of
Shakespeare which neither of us
uses No. doubt there are others.
/ With your permission l shall lay
them all aside.
Attitude of Plain People.
What | do want to say a word
about is the attitude of the plain
people of America toward the recon
struction of Europe. l think that is
important. because the American for
eign Office is in a very literal sense
the homes of the American people
and because in these homes matters
are discussed and decisions reached
which in the end determine the atti-
tude of the American Government.
II feel the desire because every
| now and then l either hear or read a
statement which seems TO imply that
Americas S relation to the problem of
reconstruction is substantially that of
a participant in a gigantic game of
SKILL in which it behooves her to
play her cards very warily, lest sud
denly and without their knowledge
the American people find themselves
subject to heavy penalties. l may
say very frankly that is not my own