Evening star., 1936-12-08

in the Pacific an integral factor in
Britain and Japan, ON the one hand,
and the United States and Japan on
the other, 1t may well be said that our
foreign policy as whole may be af-
fected II the British dominions be-
come less q part of the British EN-
pire than before.
Thus, the matter Of the Kings in
tended marriage has in itself less sig
nificance than the flames of contro-
versy that the episode has kindled.
Nor is 1t believed here that even the
abdication of the King necessarily
would end the matter of after effects.
The impression that the Kings ex-
pressed desire to marry Mrs. Simpson
has given domestic factions in Eng
land an opportunity to emphasize
their points of view in what has the
earmarks Of class cleavage not un-
like that which has been developing
in America is on every side discussed,
particularly as London reports refer
constantly to the attitude of the Brit
ish public and especially labor groups.
Crown Symbolizes Ties.
In recent years, the ties between
the British dominions and the gov
eminent at London have been SYM
bolized by the crown. It has been the
single bond Of unity in otherwise in
dependent commemorative. Should
there be pronounced change in the
attitude Of the British Parliament as
a result Of popular feeling in Great
Britain, there is always the prospect
that, If opposite opinions are held in
the dominions, the empires unity
will suffer.
From q purely selfish standpoint,
II that term can be used in reference
to the evolution Of the foreign policy
OF the United States in present-day
diplomacy a strong British Empire
Is considered here a vital benefit to
America. Whatever may be the en-
tanglements Of European or conti-
mental politics, and the United States
Is less concerned with those matters
today than at any time since the war,
1t Is nevertheless true that the British
Navy is valuable force in the main
tenance Of world peace and British
cooperation is an essential to Ameri-
can foreign policy in the Far East.
Anything, therefore, which tends
10 break down the collective strength
Of the British Empire becomes q
matter Of more than academic con-
Germ for the United States, recogniz-
ing, indeed, that concretely, Of course,
these questions are wholly for the
decision Of the British government
and their own commonwealth.
Crisis Having Repercussions.
Broadly speaking, crisis in British
affairs plainly is having its repercus-
sions here. Nobody is offering the
British any advice as to how they may
settle 1t. and there is no especial con-
sideration given to the fact that some
Britishers, for political purposes, have
tried to make it appear that the OBJ
jections in Parliament are to the mar
rying Of an American. The merits of
the controversy are well understood
here to be not in any way related to
the nationality Of the Kings BRIDE
to-be, but to the question of whether
the King should make his queen a
person who has been twice married.
Divorce has never been a matter Of
much public discussion hereabouts,
though it has been well supposed that
American Ambassadors who have
wives that have been divorced are not
sent, as rule, to the Court of St.
James, more as courtesy to the
British than because the American
Government itself takes official cog