AMERICAN SENTIMENT

Southland Times, Issue 18817, 10 May 1920, Page 6

AMERICAN SENTIMENT

FRIENDSHIP FOR BRITAIN. Authoritative words upon the present attitude of the United Slates of America to Great Britain were spoken to a Wellington Foot representative last week by Profos&or Newton, Professor of History at London University, and secretary of the Imperial Studies Committee. Professor Newton is visiting New Zealand as the special travelling Commissioner of the Colonial Institute London, and has just arrived from six months’ clo.-e investigation of conditions in America. He states emphatically that ho found nothing but the greatest friendliness and respect .‘or Great. Britain, except, of course, on the part of the extreme Irish and pro-German elements. Professor Newton admitted quite frankly that liis lint impression of conditions in America had been mo.-i depressing, but added that after further investigation he had found a much more satisfactory s«ate of affairs than appeared on the surface. '■The whole political ituawon there seems to be in a state or :d«ao.s,” six .1 • rolcssor Newton. “Nothing seems to be doing; the various sections of the machine;./ of Government are engaged tn no constmctive work; on the contrary, each one is devoting its energies to impeding (ho others. The President refuses to agree with the Senate, the Senate sticks political pins into the President, and the House of Representatives worries both. The net result appears to be that the people have arrived r.t a despairing condition. There is little doubt that the rejection of the f’e.ice Treaty is regarded with the ueopcst regret by the best elements of society, who feel that the strictures upon them arc justified in that, after promising to do a thing, tney practically refuse to assist in clearing up the mess. “All that seems very depressing, but don’t think it gives a fair indication of the retd state of affairs; in fact, my carefully matured view, after looking below the surface, is much more encouraging. I believe that the American people, as distinct from the smell, but very noisy, extreme Irish and pro-German elements, are quite determined io do their duty to the world as a whole. They want the Treaty with the reservations, which, after all, as Viscount Grey said in his letter, have a great deal to be said for them. Americans as a whole are cow heed that the constant bickering and eonfk'ts which take place between, the various agents of the State are detrimental to the national interests. The press of America does not seem to mo to represent properly the attitude of the American people to the British Empire. I found nothing but the greatest friendliness and rspect for Britain and' her peoples, except, of course, on the part of the elements which T have already mentioned. The extreme and noisy Irish section, however, even in iueh an Irish centre as San Francisco, is antagonising the American people to itself. Xhc Irish element seems to have ’shot its boit,’ and very severe things were being .said about the issue of Irish bonds on behalf of the Irish Republic. “I feel that the general impression convoyed to mo is that the old antagonism.' between America and the British Empire is trulv it thing of the past. There is a genuine desire fer a thorough friendship between the two countries, for it is realised that the burden of the future will lie upon the shoulders of the Anglo-Saxon race.”