VISIT TO AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1918, Page 2

VISIT TO AMERICA.

SIR GEORGE REID'S IMPRESSIONS. GERMAN CALUMNIES EXPOSED. London, March 21. Sir George Heid, on his return from America yesterday, gave to an Observer representative an interview on the subject of his visit and some of the impressions he formed. "My visit," he explained, "was prompted by a desire, as a colonial, to speak to the American people of the tremendous efforts the Mother Country has made in the war. I also wished to express the gratitude which the British and colonial populations feel to America for the war of independence and the American constitution, which have been of inestimable service to us in developing the Brit- | ish Empire. "I was very conscious of the fact that I there is still lingering in the United ! States memories of the unfriendly past between the two countries. One is very anx'ious to testify to the generosity of British rule in the Colonies, and to dwell upon the wonderful change which lias come-over the spirit of the British statesmanship during the past fifty years. "One of the methods of the Germans in America is to exalt France and to make invidious comparisons between the two countries, I was very Indignant with the calumny uttered there that the British generals have spared their own men at the expense of the colonial troops. That is another form of German malice in America. "I found there is really a great deal to be done in order to bring home to the American people more vividly all that the Mother Country has been doing. Take the Navy; even in this country we are riot sensible enough that the water line of 010 miles between Scotland and the coast of Norway has been so thoroughly patrolled by the British Navy since the war began that, although in the winter there is only six or seven hours' daylight there, no German cruiser lias ever been able to show her nose through that line either in the storm or sunshine. American audiences seemed greatly impressed by the fact that their commerce has been protected in this way by the British Navy. "And then, about the freedom of the seas, I pointed out that not a single onnnp wave had been stained by the blood of a helpless victim by the British I Nnvv during all these years, and that not only have the British given the world the freedom of the seas, but also in a remarkable way—some people think a mad way—they have given the world the freedom of the British Empire. I pointed out that out of a total population of 400 millions before the war, Germany and all other nations had an open door to 445 million on the same terms as the Mother Country. This fact, which is not often brought out, was also appreciated by the American audiences, although they may have thought it a silly generosity. "I also took more than one occasion to deal with the absolutely silly notion that Ireland is an oppressed country. I Kplained that she had nearly twice as manv members in the greatest Parliament the world has ever seen as the English or Scottish electors, because "whereas she has 103 members in the House of Commons she ought to have only about 00 according to the number of electors. "I was greatly impressed with the way in which all parties in the American Congress are united for the vigorous prosecution of the war. I saw enormous bodies of troops being trained. The American people are, I think, absolutelv resolved to Bee the thine; to a finish. All President Wilson's methods are wonderfully vigorous and thorough.