WILL JOIN ALLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 87, 12 April 1940, Page 9

WILL JOIN ALLIES.

"IF THINGS GO BADLY"

U.S.A. OPINION CHANGING.

ARCHBISHOP WANDS VIEW.

Interesting observations on isolationist trends in the United Stntefi were made by the Most Kevvrend J. \\\ C. Wand, M.A., Hon. D.D. (Oxon.l. Archbishop of Brisbane and Metropolitan of Queensland, who arrived at Auckland in the Mariposa to-day. He is returning to Brisbane after completing a successful lecture tour in America.

Archbishop Wand said that the tour had been a strenuous one. He had travelled 25,000 miles and hud given 100 lectures. He found that opinion wae definitely ngainst Hitler, but there was an equally strong feeling in favour of United States isolation for as Ion" as possible. e

"The impression I gained, after speaking with military and political leader*, also with the general public, is that if thing* went badly fof the Allies the United States would enter the war rather than see. iw lose." added the Archbishop. "Although there is opposition by capitalists to President Itoosevelt's liberal government, American people ne a whole appear to be well eati»licd that the President's foreign policy is a good one."

The Archbishop's lectures were jiiven mainly in colleges and training school* tor clergy, but he also acMrcssed luncheon clubs and secular organisations and spoke at the University of Harvard. He. delivered the Hale Menu.rial Sermon at Chicago, an annual sermon circulated among clergymen, his subject being "The Place of Nationalism in l\eli«ion." A noted scholar and writer of ecclesiastical books, Archbishop Wand wae made Chaplain and Sub-Prelate of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in 1930, while, five years ago he was appointed senior chaplain (Anglican) of the Ist Military District. Australian Military Forcoe. From 1914 to 192.) he was Tutor of Sarum Theological College and until 1934 was dean and fellow at Oriel College, Oxford, also for three vears

university lecturer on church history. The Sevan books he has published include "History of the Modern Church" and "The Old" Faith and the New Age."

"Americans Touching Wood." Views similar to those held by Archbishop Wand were expressed to-day by Mr. Frank Sullivan, an Australian journalist, who is returning to Melbourne, after four years abroad under the Empire exchange scheme. He spent two years working on English newspapers and a similar period in Canada and the United States, where he was most recently on the staff of the "New York Times."

. "Americans are touching wood as hard as they can about the war," he said. "Their attitude appears to be a fatalistic one. They do not expect the Allies to lose, but if there, ie any chance of this they feel that they will be 'drawn in.' to use their own phrase. At least 7-i ]>or cent of the people are behind the Allies and l>o pe.r cent are against Cerniany. They nil feel that they must stay out of the war if they can.

"The Finnish war had a remarkable effect on American opinion, especially in the Middle West, traditional centre of the isolation theory. The effect of the German invasion of Scandinavia will be even greater and will do much to draw the people of the Middle West toward* the Allies."

The suggestion that Herman propaganda was proving more efficacious than British in America, as cabled to Xew Zealand recently was discounted by Mr. Sullivan. He said that the. slow tempo of the war had caused lack of interest, which may have provided a breedingground for thp growth of nnti British propaganda, hut this would make no headway at all in fare of recent British successes in the Scandinavian campaign. "The fJraf Spee. incident kindled American enthusiasm and when the news of the recent British naval successes goes over the ]>eople will be cheering in the. streets. That is the kind of propaganda that the American people understand beet," he said.