Evening star., 1932-07-13
ALLIANCE REPORT
|MPRESSES j. S.
Washington Not Worried, but
Sees ar-ReaChing Effect
in FranCo-BritiSh Views.

The reported agreement between
France and Great Britain to the effect
that their international activities will
henceforth be closely tied to each other
has created a deep impression in official
circles in Washington.
The revival of the entente cordlale"
between Great Britain and France, the
bases of which were established in 1905
and which was terminated at the con-
clusion of the World War, does not
worry this Government in as far as to
what the political agreements between
the two countries may be.
But its effect on the debt and dis
armament questions may have far
reaching effects.
The French have been endeavoring to
revive that alliance during the last five
years. They came near to accomplish
ing their aim when the conservative
government of Mr.. Baldwin was in
Office in 1923. At that time the British
and the French governments reached a
naval and military agreement. which
was eventually cancelled owing to the
opposition of the United States
Opposed by Macdonald.
Since Mr. Macdonald came to Office
in 1929, there have been several timid
although a number of Labor cabinst
ministers were favoring such an en-
tente. Mr. Macdonald personally op-
posed it. During the Naval Conference
in 1880 number of cabinet ministers
urged Mr.. Macdonald to tie the politi-
cal and economic fate of Great Britain
to that of France, but the British
premier said that he was firm believer
in the close cooperation between Eng
llsh speaking countries. He stated re-
peatedly during the discussions of the
British cabinet that Britain's future de-
pended exclusively on her cooperation
with the western hemisphere rather
than Europe, which was played out and
offered no possibilities for Britain S
political and economic revival.
That Mr.. Macdonald should have
changed is quite understandable. He is
tine head of very conservative cabinet,
a cabinet which would like to see the
debt question finally settled by general
cancellations, cabinet which still
maintains that Britain's future is On
the seas and consequently disapproves
of any suggestions which might reduce
the naval power CT Great Britain.
The relations between the United
States and the British Empire have
been cordial, but the London govern
ment did not Fundamentally approve
of everything the United States was
doing in the field of foreign affairs.
They could not reconcile our policy in
the Far East with our desire to reduce
drastically arms and armaments, and
when they decided to join this country
in the protest against the japanese ac-
tivities in Shanghai, Mr.. Macdonald
met with a good deal of opposition on
the part of his foreign secretary and
other members OF his cabinet.
Report As to Lausanne.
1t is said that at Lausanne the
French delegates approached the Brit
ish premier with the idea of reviving
the old entente cordiale" on the basis
that the two countries had the same
interests in international affairs. Mac
Donald, it is stated, was still heSitant
and while agreeing to such a pact in
principle advised Herriot that 1t should
be kept confidential in order to watch
the effect of the Lausanne agreement
on the people of the United States.
When the Senate expressed itself un-
equivocally against cancellation or re-
duction of debts, Mr.. MacDonalds hes
itation was overcome by his colleagues,
who today announced the revival of the
entente
It's effects on the disarmament con-
ference are expected to be great. Here
tofore the Government of this country
was banking a good deal on Britain's
influence over the other European
countries. Now the British government
will have to work in harmony with the
French government, and while it is not
expected that it will adopt hostile at
titude to the United States, it will un-
doubtedly have to take into considera-
tion Frances desires against our own.
G. B.