WAR IMPOSSIBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1921, Page 8

WAR IMPOSSIBLE.

SIR PHILIP GIBBS IN U.S. BRITISH-AMERICAN FEELING. San Francisco, February, 16. The growing spirit of antipathy towards Britain which of late has been manifest in the United States has received a serious setback coincident with the distinguished visit to America of Sir Philip Gibbs, the well-known English war correspondent and novelist, and he has already effected a change in sentiment among certain classes of Americans who are beginning to believe some of the misrepresentations disseminated abroad in the States in relation to BritislrAmerican relations. The famous war scribe contributed his modicum of opinion in the great controversy that is raging especially in America in regard to the race for naval supremacy, and when appearing before the House Naval Committee in Wash* ington Sir Philip said Great Britain would not undertake a race with the United States for sea power. England had not the money, he explained, and most Englishmen did not regard the American navy “as a menace.” Sir Philip said that before any agreement for disarmament could be reached by the principal Powers the Russian question would have to lie settled and the Russan people drawn back into the “family of nations.” Representatives of the Russian Soviet Government should by all means be in* eluded in any conference to discuss disarmament. Sir Philip opined. He characterised the Russian red army as “the greatest military menace in the world” There is a spirit of revolt, entirely apart from Bolshevism, in Europe to-day because of the general fear of another war, the witness declared, adding that the people felt that they had been betrayed in the last war because they had 4jeen told it was a war to end war. 'An invitation from the United States for a conference would meet with' the approval of most of the people of Great Britain, Sir Philip said, although some sections of the Government are opposed to the general idea of, disarmament.

WAR IMPOSSIBLE WITH U.S. Sir Philip Gibbs was considerably disturbed with the publication of the interview of Sir Auckland Geddes with a party of foreign correspondents in London/and he said it was with a sense of dismay that he read the report of the address of “a prominent official of the British Government,” regarding the subject of Anglo-American relations. “Although there is a strong plea for closer understanding and friendship between our two peoples,” said Sir Philip, “it seems to me on second thoughts, as well as from first thoughts, to he amazingly hazardous and unwise to arouse even the suspicion of the possibility that there is an actual spirit of hostility between one nation and another of so grave a character that it might lead to war. The sensation caused by such words, uttered in such a place, so officially, is bound to stir up unpleasant and painful controversy and may have the effect of persuading thp British people, as well as Americans, that there is a real and dangerous hostility tn the other side, threatening the peace of the world.

“In rny opinion, this is utterly false. [ know my own people pretty well, and f am certain that outside certain low- , class journals pandering to what is <post evil in human character, there is nothing but friendly feeling for America, gratitude for her share in the war, ad-, miration for her work on behalf of' the stricken people of devastated countries, itud belief in her mission as it power of connnoii'fiense and fair dealing. Any American who has lately been in London will confirm, this and testify that he has been received onall sides by a friendly and hospitable folk. NO TRACE OF HATRED. “So it is in America. There are newspapers in the United States which attack England bitterly, now and then, mainly on account of the Irish problem, which gives them an easy target, but I find no trace of hatred among the people I meet, and I believe those who assure me that if the Irish problem could be solved there would be no cause for dislike between us, “Even in regard to the Irish problem, I find most people acquainted with the extraordinary difficulties are not at all inclined to accept the extreme section of .passionate Sinn Feiners or to sympathise with their endeavour to drive & knife* into Anglo-American relations. On the* contrary, I find that they are less tolerant of the Irish point of view than many Englishmen. There is no possibility, apdrt from an outbreak of madness" of strained relations approaching the menace of war, and I think it is Jacking in sta-tesmatwhip and com-mon-sense to raise such an Issue,” WASH OUT HATREDS. What the world had most to fea? nowadays sentimentalism, that kind which created an artificial world and would not see things as they were. It was that kind of sentimentalism which was shouting that Germany must pay to her uttermost. Made to pay, there would be fto nation left to receive it, for both Germany, and the other nations would be deNtrGyed in the process. The world now out everything and ©tart oyer again. If it tried to go* 4m With family feuds and hatreds, therd* 1 nothing ahead but more wars. He ndd seen possibly as much German frightfulness as any man, and no man hated it more, but he had seen frightfulness breed frightfulness, and hatred create hatred, and failing to stop such feetifigs the future would be dark indeed. RUSSIAN TRADE ESSENTIAL. Referring to Russian conditions, Sir Philip repeated that restoration of trade relations between Russia and the rest of the world was essential and almost as necessary to the rest of the world as to Russia itself. Russia long had been the granary of Europe, and one of the greatest markets for products manufactured by other nations, ft was sentimentalism of a peculiarly blind kind which opposed that cementing of feelings with Russia, a sentimentalism which looked upon Russia of today as something which could be disposed of by invective of attack. They had to deal with a new Russia, for better' nf for worse. If they refused to deal with her, worse things might happen. England, as Americans knew, was actually bringing about a restoration of trade with Soviet Russia.