Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08

7 PASS now to the special question
of British American relations.
One hears in both countries peo'
i pie speaking Scernfully of the tie;
of kinsfip and sentiment and adj
turing us to think of each other frank
iy as foreign peoples" think / speas
for vast numbers of English people
when I say that We find that attitude
impossible and inlluman. II seems tC
me as foolish to say that the ties oil
kinship and sentiment count for moth
Ing as to suppose that they count FOR
everything.
The Englishman travelling In the
United States finds the door open 70
him, and il is his own fault If he fails
10 walk in. II he is doing business
he finds the same methods and the
same ideas of obligation and credit as
obtain in his own country: II ne is
in the home he finds himself at home
as nowhere else outside his own coun--
try II Is impossible for him TO travel
throuSh the country and receive the
Kindness and hospitality which await
him wherever he goes and be admitted
10 intimate talks with all sorts OF
Americans without knowing that the
common language, the common BACK
ground of thought, reading and tradi-
fion are very important and very de-
lfrhtful things But they belong TO
the "imponderableS" and weigh most
when We refrain from weighing upon
them How much they weigh the
Englishman Judges from the reactloh
against them and the fear of the other
races that they may weigh TOO mucn
The British American relationship is
evidently a special one and in some
WAYS q difficult one. The Engllshman
in America is conscious of an abundant
GOOD will in all parts of the country,
but going with it an official atHtude
which is on guard To preserve the PAL
ance, Sometimes IL seems TO him. ne
gets a little less than his due in this
effort to trim the balance. but it would
be absurd for him to take offense at
that. In international as in domestic
life il is a good rule not 10 presume
On relationship.
Horrid to Each Other.
Just because We are in this special
relationship friction between us Is
likely to take on a rather sharp edge.
sswhen we are nice. We are very. very
nice. and when We are nasty. we are
horrid'' We were horrid TO each other
over the Geneva Naval Conference, but
after it we have really behaved quite
well. know nothing more encourag-
the Quiet but determined way in which
opinion modified itself on both sides
10 cure the mischief CT that official
failure. / say modified itself ad-
visedIy, for it was done without agita-
ton or recriminatioE and was IN both
countries a genuine expression OF good
sense and good feeling on the part OF
the publics. Both have said as clearly
as possible that they do not want
British-American competition in naval
ornaments. and the net result so far
Is that the programs Of both have been
cut down The press is often blamed
for the part it plays in international
affairs. but on this occasion think II
nav fairly be claimed for the news
psDers of both countries that they be-
haved with great good sense and mod
Grafton.
So the pessimists who have pulled
long faces about British American rela-
tionS in recent months may pluck up
courage. There is evidently on both
x;des q reserve Of sound and I ienoly
opinion which comes into play when
serious difficulties threaten But II We
leave matters as they were LETT al
Geneva we shall always be In danger OF
q Renaissance Of this friction and II
NAV come al some moment when the
General opinion is less 10 be relied upon
As a restraining factor. Certainly we
ought not to leave 1t so: but to reopen
II on the same lines as before. e.. TO
hand il as a technical problem to ex-
merits and expect them TO find the soiu-
fion-would be 10 court another failure.
Tnere is no formula Of parity TO De
discovered between ships Of different
fighting capacities and intended for DIFF
ferent purposes. and naval experts are
not to be blamed for failing to find one.
The next advance must be between the
governments. and they must conceive
The problem on the far wider basis OF