Evening star., 1929-10-06
BY FRANK Fl. SIMONDS.

of Ramsey Macdonald an almost un-
precedented episode. Within relatively
recent time the political party that calls
itself Labor and is described by its op-
ponentS as Socialist has won an as
founding victory, which has made it the
largest single group in the House of
Commons and expanded its representa-
ton from 160 to 289 in that body.
This political landslide was the re-
suit of many things, but on the side of
foreign relations there were two very
clear facts: The British people were dis
satisfied with Tory handling of British
relations with France, which they held
to be too weak and subordinate: and
with their dealings with America.
which they judged to be too clumsy and
provocative. BY its foreign policy
Labor was expected to change the situ-
alton in the case of both France and
the United States.
French Detail Attended To.
Already at The Hague conference the
French detail has been attended to and
one has only to read French or other
continental newspapers to perceive that
Anglo-French relations have changed,
have indeed reverted to the old acrimo-
nious stage that marked the later post
war period when Lloyd George was
quarreling with Poincare. Now Mac
lJOndIQ
out the second portion of the Labor
mandate and abolish Anglo American
chickering's.
It is no exaggeration to say that upon
the success or failure of the Macdonald
mission will depend the character OF
Anglo American relations for long
time to come. No one would be silly
enough to forecast that even COM
plete failure would prove prelude to
fore.
shadow an indefinite prolongation OF
the period of disagreement that has de-
veloped since the Washington confer
ence and as a consequence OF the un-
settled naval issue.
British Public Behind Him.
But what must be perceived in this
country is that the great majority OF
the British public, without regard to
narty. desire an end to this dispute,
wish to see Anglo-American relations
established upon basis OF friendship
and have heartily indorsed the Mac
Donald decision to visit the American
Capital.
Nevertheless even as an ambassador
of good will, Macdonald is restricted.
He does not speak for a majority in the
House of Commons, and he cannot ao-
vocate any naval concessions on the part
of his country that 60 beyond the limits
Judged by naval authorities the ire
ducible minimum of security. But, de-
spite all the clamor which has been
raised in certain American quarters, ne.
has wrung enormous concessions from
the naval group and is offering more
reasonable bargain than any one cou!d
have believed in the weeks imme edlately
following the Geneva conference OF two
years ago.
Europe Taken by Surprise.
However suspicious Americans may
be of the present British proposal.
is obvious that it has taken the Eu-
ropean observers by surprise and gone
Aeyond any expected limits. Still un-
Ader the shadow of the events OF the
pre-war period, when Britain steadily
insisted upon something close to a
two-to-one advantage over Germany,
continental commentators are astound-
ed to see Britain proposing what they
hold to be substantial parity. In fact,
they see Britain peacefully surrender
ing in the case of the United States a
supremacy which she has defended
against many challengers in many wars.
In this situation the European OBJ
servers are led to conclude that there
must be more to the thing than ap-
pears: that what the British prime
minister is after is an Anglo-American
alliance. And from this conclusion II
Is but a step to the conviction that
agreements have already been made and
that the world is confronted by the
peril of Anglo-Saxon hegemony.
Must Remove Friction Cause.
Nevertheless nothing is less likely
than that Ramsay Macdonald cherishes
any such illusion. 1t is true that ever
since the war the British people have
ond urged c0nno SORT Of
rangement between the English-Speak-
ing peoples which would free Britain
from any necessity to mix in conti-
mental European strife and would in
sure common action in case of any new
world crisis.
But Macdonald knows, none better,
that no such alliance is political pos
sibility today or in any discoverable
future. Nor is he less well informed
on the matter of the British debt. He
sees clearly that what must be done in
the matter of Anglo American relations
is rather to change the atmosphere by
removing the present cause of friction.
We have fallen to suspecting each 9TH
er's good faith. and this suspicion has
poisoned all relations.
Macdonald comes then. at the mo-
ment when his country desires liqui-
dation of the naval dispute, even at the
price of concessions which have hither-
to seemed impossible. But if the mo-
ment is favorable it is at least equally
true that Macdonald himself Is the
man who, by his personality and by his
whole life history, should command in
slant and complete confidence. Few
men, even in an age when passion has
been general, have suffered more for
their convictions or remained more
steadfast under every sort of persecu-
ton.
Macdonald Is Democratic.
President Hoover used to say when
Labor was in power before that there
were more white collar" ministers in
the British than the American Cabinet.
But Macdonald certainly Is demo-
cratic product as unmistakably as
Hoover. He comes from the people, his
origin Is humble, his early circum-
stances were those of poverty, all his
against privation. Henry w. NevinSon,
who, I believe, accompanies the British
prime minister on this VISIT once said:
"For some years Macdonald and be.
1onged to the same club in London.
The two requirements Of membership
were to lead the perfect life and pay a
shilling a week dues, and for both OF
us it was much easier to lead the per-
feet life"
His Character Made Him.
In his political career, too, Mac
Donald's success has been almost
uniquely based upon character rather
than upon any -eminence In the
skill or arts of the politician. He is a
sound and able speaker, but he has
neither the adroitness of Lloyd George
nor the eloquence of BRAND. He has
written much, but. again, no one would
claim for his writings first rank. Jim"
Thomas and "Uncle Arthur" Hender-
son, his lieutenants, are far ADLER poll