Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-29
The World in ReUieIU
War Leaders in Conference 4 1% J
BY MAJ. GEN. DAVID PRESCOTT BARROWS
Authority the Unsy Of California


THE fifth personal conference between
the head of the British government and
the head of the American government in
progress in Washington, should be time for
the American people to understand better
the personal character of these two notable
men, and to evaluate the methods by which
they have so far agreed upon the general
strategy of this war.
have already expressed the opinion that
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill have one
quality in common-they are. If l may say So
both mems men; they like the companionship
of men; they like to meet face to face and
are at their best in verbal rather than in
written communication. They are both skillful
negotiators prime minister more direct,
the President perhaps more adroit.
The important fact for the American and
British peoples right now is that they seem
to get on together There has been no evidence
of distrust or of dislike There is a great deal
of evidence that each is attracted to the other
They are both men of strong national
feeling. but in a large degree Mr.. Roosevelt,
like his predecessor, Mr.. Wilson, has very wide
international sympathies perhaps so intense
as to impair at times his attention to American
national interest.
MIR. CHURCHILL will never make this
wi mistake. He has very wide acquaint-
ance with his world and its peoples, wider
personal knowledge than the President has.
But he is British to the core and his British
intensity, Il think we may frankly say. his
occasional British arrogance keeps him fixed
in resolution to put first the interest of Great
Britain and the empire.
This is not to say that he will not make
concessions. He will, but only when he is
compelled to do so by an opponent strong
enough in his position and in his arguments,
TO make him eoneede.- he does surrender
his own view and interest, We can trust him
not to forget these concessions, or disregard
them. He will keep his commitments, but they
will never be easily won
Politically, the two men represent opposite
folds. Mr. Roosevelt may not improperly
he said to have what is called a "leftist'
tendency in his thinking, planning and de-
vising. He represents not the old Democratic
political doctrine, the doctrine of Jefferson or
Jackson or Of the last real Democratic leader
in this country, Grover Cleveland. His policies
are very much those of the Socialist Labor
Party of England.
There is not much 20 distinguish the
detectives of the New Deal from the platform
of British socialism This is not 10 condemn
the Socialist swing in either England or
America. Both really represent a dominant
movement in world politics, though | would
not say that it is truly progressive.
IN THE contrary, Mr.. Churchill is true
~ British Conservative. He is not a
reactionary, not a Tory but type Of leader
very influential in Great Britain and entirely
absent in the United States, who is proud to
call himself a Conservative. No man dependent
upon public support in this country would
admit that he is a Conservative. He would
be branded Immediately as obsolete and a
ridiculous figure in American life.
However, | regard it as truly in American
interest, that President Roosevelt in these
conferences with the British prime minister,
in his disposition TO yield, as | believe he has
yielded to the views of the older and more
experienced man. is dealing with British con-
servatism and not with British socialism.
1t makes a great deal of difference TO us