Evening star., 1939-06-18
Hope Held Royal Visit to u. S.
Will Aid Policies in Far East
State Department Resting Easier Now That King
and Queen Have Come and Gone; New
Spirit Symbolized by Trip
By Joseph H. Baird.

though the present new wave of Japa-
nese aggressiveness there seems to offer
little practical support to this wish.
Americas hope of helping to preserve
peace in Europe is based only on broad
general considerations of humanitar-
ianism and the likelihood that a new
war would bring the usual depression
in its wake. But Washington's interest
in the Far East is far more pointed and
direct.
The United States has an economic
and political stake in China surpassed
only by that of Great Britain. It's prop
erty and business investments run into
hundreds of millions. 1t shares in the
government of the great international
settlements at Shanghai and Annoy
Therefore it is equally interested with
the British in preserving the rights of
its merchants to trade and it's bankers
to operate in the Chinese market.
Some official observers here believe
that japanese policy lately has been di-
rected toward driving a wedge between
British and American cooperation in
the Far East. Thus far this has worked
out to the advantage of the United
States, as japanese ire has been directed
mainly against the British.
1t is generally felt here, however, that
the best hope of the Western powers to
preserve their interests in China lies
in close cooperation. Therefore, the
accent placed on Anglo American
friendship by the Kings visit may, it il
hoped, serve to strengthen the policy
of the two countries in the Far East.
Psychological Effect.
The political effects of the Kings
visit were, of course, confined to the
psychological realm. Under the Brit
ism system of government George VI can
make no commitments to foreign states,
except as an instrument of his minis.
ters and Parliament. Naturally. then,
he and President Roosevelt in their ex-
change of toasts at the White House
dinner limited themselves to the broad
est of generalities.
The two, however, went beyond the
dictates of mere diplomatic courtesy in
stressing the bonds of friendship be-
tween tIlelr countries.
1T is fitting that we give thanks for
the bonds of friendship that link our
two peoples Mr.. Roosevelt said. Il am
persuaded that the greatest single con-
tribution that our two countries have
been able to make to civilization. and to
the welfare of peoples throughout the
world is the example we have Jointly set
by our manner of conducting relations
between our two nations.
1T is because each nation is lacking
in fear of the other that we have unforti-
fled bordeds between us. CReferring to
CanadaD 1t is because neither of us
fears aggression on the part of the other
that We have entered no race of arma-
ments, the one against the other"
Wants Peace Continued.
The King, in concluding his toast, said:
Il trust and believe that in years to
come the history of the United States
will continue to be marked by that or
dered progress and by that prosperity
which have been theirs in the past. And
I pray that our great nations may ever
in the future walk together along the
path of friendship in world of peace"
Beyond these gracious words, however,
the King probably went farthest In
cementing Anglo-American friendship
when he laid a wreath at the tomb of
George Washington. Thus, for genera
ton of Americans which spent part Of
its school days resenting the prosecutions
of George III and his 'redcoats,' the
present British monarch symbolically
ended the ancient quarrel between Gen.
Washington and the British crown.
So, after more than $50 years of sep
arate histories in which the British EN-
pire and the United States have fought
two wars and have come dangerously
near conflict on several other occasions,
they now find themselves comrades in
the moral defense of democracy. If not
actual comrades -in-arms. This new
spirit of cooperation was symbolzed by
the Kings visit. 1t should have a deep
and far-reaching effect on current
world politics.