Evening star., 1928-02-19

II conflict
IL Once more 1t is impressive tc
notc the extent TO which the
United States influences the whole field
of national and international relations
Nowhere more than in Berlin is 1t per-
ceived that the development Of Anglo
American rivalry must have an enor-
nous and continuing effect upon Euro
pean fortunes.
As to the probability that the United
| States and Great Britain are setting
out upon a long period OF rivalry, the
| German mind Is clear. With no partic-
| ular reason to take sides as between
| two recent enemies and with no temp
| tation to attach high moral values tC
! the claims Of either contestant. the
! German simply states as fact that
! the effect of American expansion In
the world has been to bring about
British decline.
| Britain on Decline.
The German reads in the figures the
, steady decline Of the British share ir
world trade and the corresponding rise
to the American. Borrowing money
| as he still must, he discovers that
| available and he concludes that the
| dollar has conquered the pound
! The question of the possibility OF
actual war between the United States
and Great Britain does not deeply move
| him. because he concludes that the
| real var IS now taking place. the war
which is financial and commercial.
| What counts in the German mind
/ is that the fact OF American British
rivalry-coolness, recriminations. naval
dlSagreements- for the German
| government the broad question of the
! future orientation Of German policy
! As between the United States and
| Great Britain. no question Of sentiment
can have bearing. The simple problem
is. what profit Germany can draw ont
OF this collision OF interests and
whether it would be wiser for Germany
! to march with the United States, with
! Britain or to remain at one side.
| And In this speculation. there is dis
! closed what to me has been the mos:
| interesting single circumstance since
| first the discussion Of Anglo-Arericar
| relations became the main topic o!
! European debate. The Frenchnan anc
the Briton are rr,anifestly still thinking
| OF some special adjustment with the
| United States Brands proposal for 8
! bi!ateral pact TO outlaw war vas 10
/ more than a bio for a private Franco
! American agreement which should re-
i yitalize Franco-American friendship.
/ Need Of Understanding.
In the same fashion. every comment
heard IN London was directed az the
need for some Anglo American under
standing which should be private anc
! special which should bring about q
| permanent adjustment between twc
~ vrfy 70 rs mi n
| were not only related by blood and his.
/ tory. but we're bound 10 control the
/ planet and impose the:- peace. ar
/ Anslo-Saxon peace, upon turbulent
Europe
The German on his side. looks a:
the problem rather differently. Ills
criticism Of British and French policy
is III the main based upon tf. fac. tl,a:
the real struggle is not between France
and the United States or Britain and
the United States but between Europe
and America Broadly speaking. II is
perhaps exact to say that the Gernsn
is the single Europear who appreciates
in any degree the real strength OF
American industrial organization and
economic methods.
Between great American and German,
industries. notably ii the electric field.
there has always bscn close inter
change OF ideas and methods. Both
have. with all inevitable differences due
70 different conditions. applied the same
systems. Both have before the war
and since had respect fo- each
Others grasp OF fundamentals. which
has been accompanied with intelligent.
study 0. them,
Search for Reasons.
- vssA ~,
British notion % American proSoerlIy.
progress, expansion, what strikes YOU
At once is that the BRITISH, still find th~
explanation lacking. they are still
searching for reasons, They send one
commission after another 10 the United
States, where IL srops>. puzzles. ccI,sS
back hcrN, 20 report thS fact of Aver
ican prosperity. but 20 shake It's collec-
tive head over the methods and 10 con-
clude that such methods wculd he I'M
possible in Britain.
In France. American prosperity Is
rather legend than al exact Scisn-
,itic fact, Somehow. by reason o. the
war. by virtue Of circumstances which
are too material and magnificent 10
permit appraisal. th> United States
mos, powerful nation i'll the world. on
the material side. Frenchr.en Come -
America rot OH eNpSr. commissions
but separately 10 examine oar mental
ity. 70 report on our intellectual ccnSs:-
ton They are $taSSeHed by the c,icS-
sal IN our national existence and they
report us from literary cr rSycho-
logical standpoint, Our metatst> are
no; for thcta but ouT mentality IS
astounding
The German understands our rOCsA-
eds The problem ~ our mentality IS
ut the moment not ct iNy>>rtsNee, ENt,
unde, standing our methods, he has c<>gs-
cluded that for Europe they $pen rrt>-
pre$Sive displacement IN IN" wor,G
economically ttnanI tally ultimately.
unless Europe can bring Itself IL unite,
And IN this situation hc secs. With ILL
concealed contempt. ecsh the British
and tn, French trying ~ MAKE sep
arate ARRANGEMENTS With Us, arrange
mrntS which separate them from III
rope. which divide Elrcpe fyca the
common enemy.
Must Qualify EnemN,
h., III uSirs the vrrd enemy, c0e
must at once qualify II. On sAH mhHie,
the criticism NJ the United STATES IL
Germany l. far less ccmmsl, and acyi-
monicuS than III France ~ &s;asn :,
The German Is not dessnunriAS us for
what We are des0s hs dSeS net at
tach immoral values ~ eur lN,ltcseS
whether ecNnoM,c or political On tNe
contrary, he r,ndS what we are 0oinS
altogether natural. rSaSgisaese MeNit-
able.
No sentiment enters into his ca,cu.a-
tson and no eeaSore, Ae SAYS. III h,>
own phrase Unless Esiyoye StSnes rr
later gets together e<>Nao,n!ealN and
financially, IL Is totally lncSiNselc ~
facing an American c>n,sSts'h>n. l hNSt
the French and the british .ecNaNSy tfVN
The Illusion that they w>Hi 'saas ar and
realize that E.rng>e as u whole s<Nst us"
1t has become u trs.tSso ~ san thai the
new Qermans the iNaSl-waE t,er@aslN
haVinx recovered tlxsnA tnS SNaraiN assiS