The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-01-10
BRITISH PRESS
BACKS HEARST :.

LONDON, Jan. 10.-The Spectator,
IN it's issue published today, com.
ments on Mr.. Hearst's proposal for
an English:speaking union to pre-.
serve peace. saying:
''The declaration of William Ran.
doIph Hearst in favor of an Anglo.
American arrangement for common
defense and for keeping the peace
Of the world is an extremely inter.
esIing documenr-almost important
in fact, for hitherto Mr.. Hearst has
been known as one Of the most un.
relenting enemies Of the British
Empire.
Move Significant
zone wonders whether Mr.
Bruce's recent speeches in the
United States have had an immedi-
ate effect, or whether Mr.. Hearst
has been guided by the manifesto
of Columbia University recommend.
ing the reduction of the war debts.
Whatever explanation there may
be. Mr.. Hearst's move is signift'
cant: it shows which way opinion
Is flowing in the United States,
since Mr.. Hearst is characteristical-
ly a follower rather than a former
of thought.
"Mr. Hearst's declaration, which
was contained in a message to the
editors of all the newspapers he
controls, Is q curious example OF
the gramophone press at work. He
provides new record. Soon a new
tune will be proceeding from ell
the offices Of all his newspapers.
Called Audaclous
"He explains that he has always
been opposed to the League Of Ma.
tons and the World Court, not be.
cause he was opposed to the peaceful
pi DECISIONS Of the League and the
Court, but because in his opinion
those professions meant nothing.
"Mr. Hearst IL careful to show
that he wouldn't offend the shade
OF Washington by proposing any en-.
tangling alliances. His scheme
wouldn't mean any offensive ALI.
ance.' 1t would exclude from it's
scope India, Egypt and such subject
peoples 1t would mean simply that
the United. States. Great Britain, Irs.
land, Canada, Australia, New Zeal.
and and South Africa would co
operate 10 keep the peace among
themselves, and so far as possible
keep it throughout the world.
Such a scheme, he says, wouldn't
involve any aggressive act. 1t
would be a compact to prevent the
signatories from making wal
among themselves and to protect
any Of them from aggression by
others.
"The only detail Mr.. Hearst ven
lures upon is that there should
be an armament agreement by
which ornaments should sinuIta,
neously be maintained at sufficient
strength for safety, and at q suf-
ficlently low point to prove the
good faith Of the partners as pre-
servers OF the peace.
"At first sight 1t may be said
that Mr.. Hearst's plan is a good
example Of the Locarno spirit, and
we do not doubt that he intends II
to be so. But IL it is true, as he
says, that the League fails Just
because 1t 10 q heterogeneous ming
ling Of peoples. it is necessary to
point out that you cannot usefully
refuse to cooperate with nations
because they are unlike your own
1.-THE principal danger, which al.
most certainly hasn't occurred to
Mr.. Hearst at all, IL that the mem
bers Of the League who don't be.
long to the British Empire would
see in an Anglo-American defensive
and peace-imposing pact positive
and an almost insulting bid by the
English-speaking peoples to rule the
world.
"The State Department at Wash.
ington has lately been talking about
Mexican hegemony in Central Amer.
lea. That is a very thin phantom,
indeed. compared with the phantom
which continental Europe would
find in Mr.. Hearst's proposal.
Grateful to Hearst
ut would be the same as II after
all Great Britain had preferred a
balance Of power to the League.
"All the same, we are grateful to
Mr.. Hearst for his change Of mind.
His newspapers are powerful organs
In America, and now that they will