Evening star., 1940-12-13

(llOlOSy. Il
at time Of
crisis world David Lawrence.
affairs, the splendid mind of Lord
Lothian contributed to American
British relations an efficiency and
constructive method which made
possible the most extraordinary of
agreements and cooperative under
takingS.
Back in the days of the peace
conference at Paris in 1918 and 1919
this correspondent and many others
of the newspaper contingent which
went abroad at that time with
President Wilson learned to know
Philip Kerr, his name before he was
given the title of Marques OF
Lothian. He was then private secre-
tarv to the Prime Minister, David
LLOYD George, and he dealt daily
with American neWspapermen for
his chief
Picked Up Threads.
When Lord Lothian came here as
Ambassador, he picked up the
threads of all his wartime relation
ships, including one with President
Roosevelt who was Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy in those days. But
mere friendship with American news
papermen and Americans doesn't
make a great Ambassador. Lord
Lothian was student OF human
beings and political groups, and he
was as intensely interested in the
operations of the American democ-
racy as he was in that of his own
country. He seemed to be able to
understand and sympathize with
the currents of American thought.
He was careful never to criticize but
always to discuss American affairs
objectively. His informality was dis
arming-one never felt in the pres
ence of the nobility or foreign
manners when lunching or dining
with him at the Embassy. He never
mislead or attempted to put things
over" but always gave the facts as
they had been relayed to him from
abroad.
Again and again he talked of the
war not just in terms of the physi-
cal combat, but with realization OF
the overall significance of the world
struggle in terms of the spiritual
relations of peoples and individuals
to each other. He had a deeply
religious conception of the part
that man could play in finding some
other way besides war to settle his
disputes-he had faith in reason
but he believed that the cycle of
time would first have to bring mill
tary defeat before the people could
reconcile themselves to the security
of negotiations and treaties.
The death of Lord Lothian is too
sudden to appraise. In other values,
as a representative of Great Britain,
he will not be easily replaced. Others
will come with wise understanding
of how to keep from offending
Americans. but who can as quickly
reach the position of intimate friend
with Senators and Representatives
of all parties. Government officials,
Army and Navy officers, and influ-
ential business and civic leaders in
America? He was an indefatigable
worker. His physical energies were
probably weakened by his struggle
to give his utmost to his country.
It probably reduced his resistance
against the ravages of disease.
May Send Two Representatives.
There is talk of sending Anthony
Eden here He made a profound
impression when he came to Wash
ington in 1888 He doesn't know
America but he is an able citizen.
Britain may find it necessary to
send two representatives here-an
Ambassador and head for her war
mission. The problems are COM
plicated Some are diplomatic, some
are financial Britain has here
financial representative now discuss
ing credit problems with our Treas
ury experts He may be asked to
stay on to head up a war mission
until new Ambassador is chosen.
There have been in the British
Foreign Office men who know Amer
lea we'll Sir Arthur Willert, for in
stance, who for many years was in
charge of the American section of
the Foreign Office and who previous
" represented the London Times in
Washington, is close friend of
President Roosevelt, He received
his title because Of his able work in
assisting the late Lord Northcliffe
when he was head of the British
war mission early in 1918 If Sir
Arthur Willert is available, he would
be an excellent man to replace Lord
Lothian for he knows America and
off1cialdom very well and has in
addition experience with wartime
problems.
Lord Lothian will be missed. The
British cause has suffered a severe
blow. He was a great Ambassador
because he was one of the few men
who might readily have been an
ardent American If the accident
of birth had not made him a Brit
ish subject. He was the ideal in
strument to reconcile and bring to-
gether American and British view
points. Hence more than a mere
personality died-an instrument Of
understanding and good will has
been removed from the scene.
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