The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1940. LORD LOTHIAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 296, 13 December 1940, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1940. LORD LOTHIAN.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For ths wrong that needs resistanot, For ths future <n ths distance, And ths food that tee can do.

S>, [>ost in the diplomatic world I<< <liiy in iiii|xjrtanc<* ri • I rc.-|xin.-iWili[ y that of Briti»ii .\nili,i-<Hilur in ami no "Hi- w lio lijm lichl it j-ince the late I."nl I't \if w;i. wt-ll liked a> Lord I.olhi,iri. When hf was ap|>oiiited it (|iii«kiv nut t'd in Wa.<hing'ton t li.it lie w;i- ''not living up to the It: ii i- It Kmba.«.«y'rt recent rej»utation lor iiii.i|>|-ri»a<h;ibility, evvank and ot American way«." He w.ir, what the AmeriearM like, a "gr>f>d ■nixer," and what they aUo like, an aii-tuerat. These qualification'* ensured j>o[>iilarity, but to [Kipularity there would not have heen added rei-jiect and enteein if he had not |Mi»«eMßt'd great and varied ability. lie had been one of "MilnerV Kindergarten" in South Africa, editor of the "itound Table," one of Mr. Lloyd George's private secretaries in wartime, and at the Ycr-iiille« Cuiif'vrence, and ;i iratm-r of India's new C'uiiititutiuii. I !«• the Uritish Commonwealth far mure intimately tluin the great majority of J'riti-h >tatesmen and di|>loin:iti-t-, the present oneincluded. Much a man was supremely well qualified to represent in Washington not only Britain, but the Dominions—the British Commonwealth as a whole. And to the whole British Commonwealth his death at this time is a tragic loss.

It wail required of the British Ambassador at the outbreak of this war that he should not be regarded an the chief British propagandist. The Americans were resolved that they should not be "talked into war." They pa**ed a special Act to ensure and protect their neutrality. Lord Lothian's position was therefore one of gTcat delicacy. An incautious word from him on the sounding-board of the American Press might have done irreparable harm. He was content to wait lor events to bring home to Americans the fact that they have a stake in this war, and to force them to an appreciation of their responsibilities. He would interpret the British Commonwealth's policy, and express its views, but he was always careful to add—as he did in his Jaxt great speech—that it was for Americans to decide American policy, and nobody could share that responsibility with them. There were complaints from time to time that Nazi propaganda had the American field to itself, but actual decisions continually justified Lord Lothian's attitude. America was nentral at the beginning; she is not neutral now. And to-day in the United States there is a more firm and widespread appreciation of the things for which the British Commonwealth stands—and fights— than never before, and a stronger determination to help in the fight, by deeds as well as words. It was fortunate for Britain in the last war that Walter Hines Pago was Ambassador in London; in this war she har, been doubly fortunate in that the President of the United States is Franklin Roosevelt, working in close harmony with Lord Lothian in the British Embassy and Mr. Mackenzie King across the border. Ami the choice of a successor to Lord Lothian may easily have consequences as important as the winning, or the losing, of a battle.