The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-14

telling the truth more e1nE realized.
 For the real inside is that dur ing recent discussions on naval strategy Admiral Leahy contended that in any Anglo-American deal, the British Navy would leave the United States holding the bag, therefore the American fleet had to float on its own bottom.
 On the other hand, both the President and Secretary Hull at first were more inclined to trust the British.
 Anglo-American discussions of naval policy have taken place off and on ever since the invasion of Manchuria in 1892, when Secre- tary of State Stimson asked, in fact, lnplored that the British fleet cooperate with ours in the Pacific. This was refused, al- though Canada offered It's cooper ation.
 Discussions were intensified when the Japanese first menaced Shanghai last summer, at which time the idea was put forward of sending British and American ships to Singapore under the peace machinery of the Nine Power Pact.
 For a while it looked as if this might be done-thOugh ROose- welt never gave his complete consent. But suddenly the Brit ish got squeamish over Musso- lini'S submarine warfare in the Mediterranean, and the whole deal was called off.
 Off Again-On Again
 It bobbed up again during the Brussels Conference in October. when the British came forward with another plan for joint CO., operation in the Pacific. This time the United States was Squeamish, and Ambassador Norman Davis refused even to discuss it.
 Then came the Panay inci- dent, 3 firmer front toward the Japanese, and the dispatch of three U. s. cruisers to Singapore as a demonstration Of Anglo American naval solidarity.
 These cruisers are lined up with the British fleet at this very mo- ment. After the Singapore ma- neuverS it was planned to keep the cruisers in Far Eastern waters for possible further joint demon strationS.
 But now it looks as if they would come home. And here is where Admiral Leahy's skepti- cism of the British comes in.
 The admiral always has felt that British foreign policy had points of similarity with the flea. Re- gently, having seen reports of British financial settlements with the Japanese, he became abso- lutely convinced of it.
 Two British Faces
 In this connection, remember that there are two governments in London. One is Westminster Par liament) supposed to run the gov- ment; second is The City (Lon- dOn's Wall Street. which actually dictates many major policies. es- pecially with City man, Neville Chamberlain, as prime minister.
 That is why the British have gestured toward Italian friendship with one hand while Eden was shaking a fist under Mussolini's nose with the other. That is why one part of the British Cabinet has urged the recognition of Franco (who protected the City's mines in the Basque country), while another part leaned toward the Loyalists. That also is why Britain blocked any complete blockade of Italy. The City want- to sell coal to Il Duce.
 Also that is why, as Admiral Leahy suddenly discovered, the British were arranging with the Japanese to be paid the inter- est on British held bonds in Shanghai, and were working out a temporary peace for South China.
 In other words, The City was cOllectin.; 8 few immediate pounds and pence. leaving fu- ture policy to take care of itself and any idea of Anglo American cooperation in the lurch.
 When this leaked out, it was discussed at White House meeting where Roosevelt ex- pressed his doubt that the British could be so short-sighted. But Admiral Leahy insisted that you never could trust the British. that they always looked out only for themselves and that the American Navy must be big enough to fight on its own.
 Leahy's view prevailed. It was one important factor behind the Big Navy building program.
 NOTE-The only understanding