Evening star., 1933-02-15
BRITISH. ATTITUDE CHANGES.
New Orientation of Countrys Foreign
Policy Is Seen.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

A dramatic change in Great Britain's
attitude toward the United States has
been noticeable In the last fortnight.
This change has occurred simultane-
ouSly with Sir Ronald Lindsay's arrival
in London, where he has had number
of confidential talks with leading men,
bers Of the British cabinet.
In well informed quarters, Lindsay's
clear exposition Of the situation and of
has been the decisive factor in what
may be called the new orientation of
Britain's foreign policy.
Hitherto there were two distinct
trends in the British cabinet. One
was represented by Premier Macdonald
and Stanley Baldwin, who were in
favor of closer cooperation with the
United States on political and econo
mic matters; the other was represented
by the foreign secretary, Sir John
Simon, and the chancellor of the ex-
chequer, Neville Chamberlain. who be-
lieve closer cooperation with the
the only sound policy to be followed by
the British government.
The House of Commons, where the
conservatives have an overwhelming
majority, was inclined to side with the
Simon Chamberlain point Of view.
The result Of this policy of breaking
away from the hands -acrosS-t -the-sea"
policy was that at Geneva the United
States was confronted with solid
Franc British 'front.' that in the debt
lquestion Macdonald and Baldwin had
/ to make great efforts to induce the rest
of the cabinet to pay the December
debt installment on the specific guar
antee that this would be the last pay
thn nld oh ant
agreement; that in the Far Eastern dis
cussions the British favored policy Of
procrastination, which encouraged the
Japanese to take their present stand,
and finally, in accepting the invitation
of President-elect Roosevelt to discuss
the settlement Of the debt problem,
Great Britain adopted a policy Of
spokesman" Of all the debtor nations.
and Chamberlain indicated he would
discuss nothing but debts when Roose-
velt stated that he wished to discuss
other economic questions as well.
Last month the situation appeared
members of the administration
The British attitude appeared to rem
der useless all efforts of the incoming
administration to bring about a settle
ment of the world problems.
Sir Ronald Lindsay realized that on
the one hand he had to deal here with
government which had no longer any
authority from the country and on the
other hand that every day public senti-
ment was changing from friendly to
hostile toward Great Britain. All this,
he thought. was due to a misunder-
standing OF Americas problems on the
part of the British cabinet The pub
lie statements Chamberlain was making
r1aar iIty1ctro fiOr, of tho Io, Df
comprehension of the situation in Amer
lea by majority Of the British gov
eminent.
hensiye survey of the situation himself.
This was difficult and delicate task
for foreign ambassador who is sup
posed to deal exclusively with the State
Department. He talked the situation
over with Secretary Stimson and OBJ
tanned the latter's approval to deal
direct with the legislative body of the
| United States and eventually with the
President-elect himself
Lindsay did good reporters work.
He talked to almost every member of
Congress who had any definite opinions
on the debt question and whose voice
was likely to influence the coming de-
| bates. After having gained compre-
hensive picture Of the attitude of the
Congress, he managed to obtain an in
wilton from the President-elect to come
and visit him at Warm Springs on the
eve of his departure to London to pre-
sent his complete report.
Roosevelt and Lindsay talked together
| for hours and, according to reliable re-
| ports, they survey not only the debt
question but also the question of the
Geneva Conference and the Far East
| ern conflict. He obtained clear pic
| ture of the future foreign policies of
| the incoming administration.
Lindsay left Washington as the only
| foreigner who knew as well as the most
! intimate friends Of the President-elect
how Mr.. Roosevelt intends to deal with
| the debts, the economic problems and
| the disarmament and the japanese
situation. He went to LOndcn and was
closeted for hours with the leading
members of the British cabinet, either
| separately or in full meetings.
Lindsay is not a convincing speaker,
but he is known in the foreign Office
| and in the cabinet as being an ex-
| tremely accurate observer. He just
presented facts-the facts he had
painstakingly gathered in Washington
| and at Warm Springs. He presented
the picture OF America and Of the prob
lens which are confronting the incom-
| ing administration with such clearness
and accurate detail that he impressed
even the die-hards of the British cabi-
| net.
| He was able to demonstrate that a
policy of I'VE will do this and nothing
more" on the part OF Great Britain
was futile because, regardless of the
feelings of the President-elect and his
future cabinet, the American Govern
ment must take into consideration pub
lie sentiment, and that sentiment was
bound to become increasingly anti Brit
ish If the British maintained an ada
mant attitude.
The result Of Lindsays talks with the
British cabinet have been fruitful.
The British government decided that
II the American Government finds It