BRITISH PREMIER

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1929, Page 5

BRITISH PREMIER

at U.S.A. CAPITAL. AFTER GREAT WELCOME. (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph .—Copyright.) . ; WASHINGTON, October 4.' Tho Prime Minister of Great Britain, Rt Hon J. Ramsay MacDonald, has arrived at'Washington. He reached hero to-day at a late hour, following an enthusiastic welcome at New . (York. . . , j( Mr MacDonald,'ion reaching Washington, was escorted to greet President Hoover in''the Blue Room by Captain Alan Buchanan (Naval Aide to the U.S.A. President). The AngloAmerican leaders then exchanged salutations, and next proceeded to the Green Rohm, .accompanied by Sir Esme Howard (British Ambassador). There they were joined by Miss Ishbel MacDonald and Lady Howard, and the group then proceeded .to the Red Room, where Mr' Hoover awaited them. • A chat followed, 'Until Mr MacDonald and l party .left for the British Embassy at Washington. On arrival of the British party 1 here the Union Station, was thronged and cheers resounded through the building. Assistant-Secretary Castle, Lady Isabella Howard and ‘ Mrs Stjmson greeted the Prime Minister and Miss Ishbel MacDonald. Mr Stimsoh (U.S.A. Secretary of State) and Captain Allan Buchanan, occupied the first automobile for the 1 ride to tlie' Embassy. The British Ambassador,, Sir E. Howard, with Tinder-Secretary Cotton of the State Department, and Colonel Campbell -Hodges -(military aide to the President)- occupied the next • car, and Lady Howard, Mrs Stimson and Ishbel MacDonald thq third. The procession moved , slowly towards the Capitol and the Embassy. Two troops of cavalry and- a. battalion of ■ artillery formed the escort. ; Two aeroplane formations hovered . overhead 1 A STRANGE INTRODUCTION. : 1 NEW YORK, October 6. . After the arrival of Mr Ramsay ’ MacDonald:• at, New , York, Mr Hector Fuller, the Official Reader ofr Welcom- ■ ;ihg Scrolls, at the New. York ' recep* I tion, led the visiting Premier, to the dai§, ’ and then announced: .“Mr Ramsay Mac-Don aid, Prime Minister, of the United States.” ' : , H Jlr Fuller then broken down, stut r . tering. . Mr MacDonald turned to - Mayor Walker, of New York, and whispered * “That is high treason!” ; • •' ‘ y: THE OBJECT;OF VISIT. ’ ' , WASHINGTON,. October 5: • Mr Ramsay Macdonald' and President Hobver spent jtwelye minutes Vin conversation at, .House '--fo-dayy nnd, no matter hoswJinfoEmaV itimay hate been,' pne caiihot lose- sight' of» the fact that the' frime Minister, on ihe innumerable times that he has been interviewed, from the moment that he landed at New York, until he dregsed for the British Embassy dinner, has .reiterated that the - purpose of his -talks with the President, were “to lay down a basis of good feeling and friendship that ,will make- less probable a misunderstanding in the future ' relations between the British Etnpirfe and the United States.” ' .It- iß‘ : ' known, moreover, that Mr MacDoftald feels that few people realise -that an agreement in this forthcom>hg national conference will be but 1 * the beginning of a struggle for wdrld disarmament, and will only be thfe prelude to even , a broader international effort beforfe the League Disarmament Commission, in which Britain. and the United States must play the dominant roles. • < . ' It may also be said, with the ut>most authority, that 'no illusions are 'entertained about .. the difficulties fc -which Be ahead of the disarmament. i programme. When a naval agyop- ’ ment is made, the Powers will t ( hen Rave to take up in relation to,, that agreement, the problem of disarmament in the air and on land, and in these, as in the naval questions, Britain and the,United States will have to play an important part if ultimate success is to be achieved. | The present English Government, and generally speaking, the people of toe whole Empire are pot greatly concerned about the number of ships that America builds but neither the United States nor''Britain can leave out of consideration the ships that other nations'build, and the navies of Britain and the United States must be regulated accordingly; Botli nations, therefore, are anxious to dispel any concept that they are going to lay down upon the table at the impending naval conference a signed agreement between themselves. ..... . .. The events at the conference itself -will in a 1 large part dictate the .nature'and the, kind of vessels which both. Britain and the United States will agree to build or limit l ' While the idea of an Anglo-Ameri, 'can alliance has not heen. even remotely in the minds of the statesmen, the feeling is that; ns far as world problems are involved, the Anglo-Saxon peoples see them in es.sentially the same way, and • that, sooner or later, this similarity of Ideas must of necessity translate .itself into co-operative action. , PRECISIt OBJECT IN VIEW. WASHINGTON, October 5. A successful mission to this country l,y Mr Ramsay MacDonald was forecast tp-day by the U.S. Secretary, Hr Stimson. He said: “We have

already reached the basis of a frankly friendly conversation.” Mr MacDonald told the newspaper men than ho came to the United States to ' survey, with President Hoover ; the wide peaks of international relations between the two countries. They had not discussed the status of the naval negotiations, but it was disclosed that the forthcoming disarmament parley would be held in London on Monday or Tuesday in the third week in .January. He saul that there was no idea of an alliance between the United States and Britain in his conference with the President. What lie and the President were seeking he defined as an understanding. He added that if his visit, in this respect were successful, lie would return to London a very happy man. BRITISH PRESS APPROVAL. LONDON, October 5. The whole British press, of all shades of politics, approved, Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s mission, and has wished him success. The “Morning Post” (Conservaive), which is a most severe critic of the Labour Government, endorses Mr MacDonald’s claim that he represents a united union on this occasion, and it adds: “The happiest prelude has .been achieved for the fruitification of negotiations when the Prime Minister has crossed the Atlantic.” INTERESTING PROBLEMS. (Received this day at 8 a.mA NEW YORK, October 7. The recognition of Russia and the question of the freedom of the seas are among the hard nuts both men 1 will try to crack.. The last-mentioned problem from the point -of view of practical politics 'in America is extremely imb'ovtnnt' aud it is understood to avoid complicating the delicate approach to Anglo-American naval accord, consider- ■ ation of the freedom of the seas for neutrals >in time of’war was avoided during the long-distance negotiations by Mr Hoover and Mr MacDonald. It is' pointed out, however, that Mr Borah ’in the key position, has already stated that any accord which does not carry the British surrender to the right to neutral vessels in wartime, would be unsatisfactory. However, despite the rumours and shadows, it is clear from the developments of the day since M M -cDonaid arrived at Washington, that he and Mr, Hoover are in close co-operation towards an attainment of their broken purpose of advancing international relations by whatever honourable means is available. Meantime, there is every indication that to the people of United States and British Empire, the conversations are the biggest news of the day. The New York ’ “Times” devoted three pages thereto to-day while the cable Companies announce 35,000 words were cabled by British correspondents ,to England and Dominions. AMERICAN' COMMENT. 1 . , v y (Received this day at 10 a.m.) NEW YORK, October 7. At , Washington to-night Messrs Hoover and MacDonald brought their problem of world peace and reduction of naval armaments into the President’s wilderness camp in Blue Ridge Mountains, secluded and three miles separate from the nearest (entrance, now. guarded, by marines from Ledge, and while week-ending both men are wholly free from official affairs. It seems an ideal to discuss “the problems raised by man’s ingenuity in deyising deadly weapons.” They will return heremn Monday afternoon when Mr MacDonald will again > begin official appointments indicated on his itinerary. What r the men are discussing tonight will c'f course never he known ] verbatim, but already speculation is rife, There are rumours that Mr MacDonald will agree to disarm British possessions in the Carribean and that some hitch has occurred in calling the Five Power Conference, and that the Japanese Ambassador has delivered to Mr Stimson, Tokio’s contention that the proposed levels of British and American cruiser tonnage are too high, so high indeed that Japan would be forced to build more than she wants or can afford. MR MACDONALD BUSY. (Received this dav at 8 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 5. American and British peoples talked together this week-end through their elected leaders in n rugged setting at a fishing camp, where Mr Hoover is the host to Mr MacDonald at his summer retreat ’2ooo feet above the sea ■level in Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia. Thre, they are pursuing conversations which both hope will make for an understanding between United States and, Britain, and thus further international peace. Mr Hoover and Mr 'MacDonald rode from Washington to the camp on Saturday, in the first of a dozen cars which made the trip. Mrs Hoover and Miss Ishbel drove by themselves with the President’s wife at the wheel. The party includes Secretary Stimson, Sir Robert Vansittart (Principal Secretary to Mr MacDonald and Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), R. L. Craigie (Chief of the American Division of the British and Foreign Office), Lawrence Richey (one of Mr Hoover’s secetariesl, Lieut.-Com-mander Joel T. Boone (personal physician to the President).

At Washington on Saturday, Mr MacDonald was the guest at a State luncheon at the British Embassy given Hy Sir Esme Howard. He afterwards visited the Canadian and Irish Free State Legations,. Vice-President Curtis and Chief Justice Taft.