BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17610, 13 November 1922, Page 11

BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.' (Australian and N.Z. Oablo Aasuciatian.) (Received November 12th, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 11. A mild sensation has been caused by the cancellation by Mr J. W. Weeks, Secretary for War, of an invitation extended to the Hon. John William Fortescue, president of the Boyal Historical Society, to addresß the West Point United States Military Academy on Armistice Day. Mr Weeks quotes portions of Mr Fortescue 's book, "British Statesmen in the Great "War," in which he says: "The United States cannot engage in any form of competition with us, from athletics to diplomacy, without using foul play. They must win, if not by fair skill, then by pre-arranged trickery or violence. . . ." Mr Weeks, in a statement, says: "An author entertaining these sentiments cannot be considered a proper person to address the students of a Government Academy." The Hon. John Fortescue was recently the guest of the English-Speak-ing Union of New York, and proposes carrying out. a lecturing tour of the United States. He confirms the cancellation of the West Point engagement. AN EXPLANATION. (Received November 12th, 11.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 11. The Hon. John Fortescue, in a statement, says every moment Bpent in the United States has made him regret the adverse criticism of America made by him eleven years ago. He declared that the passage quoted by Mt Weeks was part of a lecture made in 1911 while he was annoyed at certain negotiations and by an unfortunate lack of sportsmanship on the part of an American competitor in some international sport.