UNITED STATES IS INTERESTED

Chronicle (Levin), 20 April 1949, Page 5

UNITED STATES IS INTERESTED

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m.' WARRINGTON, April 18. Although regarding it 'as "a family affair," the United States, diplomatieally speaking, is manifesting keen mterest in the outcome of the forth ?oniing Commonwealth conference m , London. A. high State Department official deelared: ' 'We are very interested. ■ We wish them luck. " Comment expresses United « States' concern that wh'atever the formula thai .night be worked out on the questioa of allegiance to the Crown, it will m^an no weakening of the strength that thc Empire has repfesented in the past. 1 no official said: "We have high regard for the stabilising influence represented by ! that association of nations • known as the British Commonwe'alth. We hopj and see no reason to doubt that the relationship will suffer no weakening. Observers in Washington are inelined to accept the case of Eire as afiordrng an index of what will. happen with regard to India. .Although India may soon renounce the fdrmal bonds tying her to Britain, as Eire did, it is fel. diat the roal ties between the Alotherland and her forjner possession will .10 less close. than those which continue to link Britain with her neighbour across the Irish Channel. Officials are unwilling to speculate on the means whereby Empire relationships will be sustained but there is real conlidence that cominon interests and ideals will dictate some acceptablc formula.

Americans frankly recognise that Lnsofar as unity represents strength, u ■ Ls in United States' own interests that ' there should be a continuing association ; of like-minded nations subseribing to a ; politieai philosophy so elosely approximating its own. It is regarded as certain that defence will figure largely in the conference considerations.