Evening star., 1939-09-01

Great Britain's affable new Am
bassador to the United States wants
Americans to know that his country
is firmly united in bulldog" stand
against forces that would make the
world "jungle"-and needs Amer
ican supplies if it has to fight.
The eleventh Marques of Lothian,
one-time newspaperman and secre-
tary to Prime Minister Lloyd George
during the last war, lost no time
after taking over his ambassadorial
duties here in getting his views to
the public through the medium OF
nearly 100 reporters and newsreel-
men invited to press conference
late yesterday
Alert eyes twinkling behind his
shell-rimmed glasses to set of a
friendly smile, Lord Lothian sat on
the terrace overlooking the British
Embassy's famed garden and told
the reporters grouped around him
that he never had seen the British
public more united-not even in
1914.
A "Stand for Civilization"
A conviction that if things 60 on
as they have for the last few years
the world soon would be a jungle
has led to this unity, he said in a
stand to face challenge to the
basic elements of civilization"
He added that this unity of Brit
ish opinion included the belief that
a revision of treaties and perhaps
redistribution of colonies to give q
better world balance of economic re-
sources may be necessary, but that
it should come only at the price o1
disarmament to bring security.
I'VE want to see a situation ir
which every free nation is allowed
to live its own lite" he summed up
Emphasizing that the British pub
lie would be willing to discuss the
problem of colonies only is disarm-
ament was settled, Lord Lothian
said he did not believe Britain now
would change in its stand against
! the jungle" forces.
You've often heard the British
described as bulldog" he COM
mented, land you know that a bull.
dog may be slow to move but once
he gets hold of something he doesn't
let 60 easily"
If war should come, would ar
American embargo on munitions anc
war supplies make any difference te
England, he was asked.
Cites Present Orders.
obviously it would make a diff.
ference" he frankly replied, pointing
out that England had many air.
planes and other armament already
on order here.
The press conference signalized 8
new order of things in the British
Embassy's relations with the Amer.
lean public. Apparently it set off 6
concerted effort to court the gooc
will and support of the man in thu
street" here.
Lord Lothian insisted that he hac
no special mission here nor no spe.
cial instructions. He described him.
self as standard ambassador, ar
agent of the British Government"
But it was significant that he helc
a press conference only a day after
he had presented his credentials tt
President Roosevelt. In contrast te
the record of his predecessor here
Sir Ronald Lindsay, who was ir
Washington more than nine year!
and held the first press conference
of his life last spring to answer
questions about the visit of King
George and Queen Elizabeth.
Unc0mpromised by Questions.
Lord Lothian, a 57-year-old bach.
elor who rightly looks more like 6
doctor or lawyer than diplomat be.
cause this is his first job as an am.
bassador, was at his ease with thu
press, too, and not surprised at any
question popped at him.
Throughout a half hour of ques.
tioning, he sat in a wicker chai
while his interviewers stood in ,
circle around him. Most of tn
time his left leg was comfortabl!
crossed over his right knee. Ere
quently he would stick his thuml
into the armhole of his vest and lear
back to answer a question from
some one behind him.
Afterward, he graciously repeated
a part of his remarks for the benefi
of the newsreel microphones, ant
added in special speech for tn,
newsreel audiences a message from
King George and Queen Elizabeth
expressing their most grateful
thanks" for the cordial welcome ex
tended them on their recent visi
here and their conviction that moth
ing could disturb Anglo American
good will and understanding.
Patiently, he interrupted his re
marks for the cameramen to chang
lenses. Not once during his pres
conference did he finch at the con
stant setting of Of photographers
flash bulbs. He gave the impression
of natural good fellow" strivin,
to please and make friends.
At the outset, Lord Lothian ex
planned that he could make no posi-
tive statement about the interna
tional situation, because it was "to'
delicate" and was being determined
in Europe, with decisions beinl
made long before he knew abou
them.
Proposes Questioning.