BRITAIN'S PROBLEMS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10639, 12 July 1920, Page 4

BRITAIN'S PROBLEMS

FUTURE OF IRELAND SIR AUCKLAND GEDDES IN AMERICA. PRESERVATION OF WORLD'S PEACE. Since his arrival in the United States Sir Auckland Gcddes, British Ambassador, has been talking unrestrainedly ou the many problems that besat Great Britain, including, as he described it, "the political salvation of . Ireland." He has spoken t|tute irccly of tbo purposes of ins diplomatic mission, and in aealing with these, taid: — "1 believe- that the mam hope of world peace rests on the existence of mutual respect and understanding between the peoples of the United States of America, and the British community of nations. It is mv ambition to help develop such respect and understandTt was as if sensing the anti-Britipii eentimeut that has been stirred '« some quarters of the United State's that Sir Auckland m his early interviews spoke comprehensively of the problems which Irish agitators and sympathisers have aroused against JUijjUuiU. . ••i do not suggest," ,he said, that even it there were complete understanding of the diihculties of the cne nation by the other, there would be in either country complete agreement i" detail with 'the method of ablution which mav have received the support of the majority. But at least we should have got rid of suspicioii- ' breeding misconceptions. We *> a * fe learned how difficult it is to right. a small wrong, or even a great and bitter wrong, without creating a new, a greater, and a still more bitter sen.-* of wroig elsewhere. PEACE -ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

"We have learned taut to keep peace for that quarter "of the human race which owes allegiance to the British Uovn imposes a heavy strain upon m© material aud moral resource* of our peoples. Jlo avoid wpise evils than those we seek to remedy it is otten necessary to move slowly— always with cuatiou. But one thins 1 caii say positively and without fear ol inlormed contradiction, the inspiration of British, policy during the period 1 iiavo known, has been, if possible, to uriog order out of chaos, to extend the "boundaries of freedom, to improve die it;u of the oppiessed, to increase the material prosperity of the world. "We ai'J trying now, as always, to meet the legitimate aspirations of. the dependent peoples, such as those m inaia and Kgypt, so far as is possible in our judgment without working- a. mischief where we wish to do: £Ood. NO QUARREL. '•Similarly in Ireland we are trying •to provide political machinery whereby tne antagonised sections of the Irish peoples can work out their own internal political salvations without nun to Irish economic interests. If it be true it takes two to make a quarrel, there is in this generation no quarrel between England and Ireland. For the present generation of Englishmen has stoadlastly refused to. quarrel with Ireland. * ••The British Government, after careful study of the Irish question, is convinced that now the only hope of evading that centuries-old c'isfcemper is to place fairly and squarely on the shoulder of Irishmen in Ireland the constitutional responsibility, of finding for themselves, within the framework of the British Empire, the solution fc>i their political differences." PROBLEM FOR IRISH IN IRELAND. When the new Homo Rule Act is passed, he said, it would be the duty of all British subjects not domiciled in Ireland to stand aside and leave those who live there to solve their problems end, he added significantly, ''lt will also'be helpful if the many in all parts of the world who are not British subjects, but are interested iu Ireland, likewise stand aside and leave the Irish-in Ireland to grapple with their oivn politica) difficulties." - The Ambassador stated that pre*, posals for the secession of Ireland had been submitted to the British Cabinet, but had been reiected, one of several reasons being that strategically the British Isles form one unit for pur poses of defence. THE POLICY IN RUSSIA.

Sir Auckland then passed from tlm Irish to tho Russian question, denying tho reports that Great Britain was pursuing a pro-Bolshevik policy dictated by selfish British trade motives. "I am'glad to bo able to eay," he said, "that tho American and British Governments have been in cordial consultation on this matter, and are together considering what steps tshould be taken or can usefully be taken, to i~ecure a reopening of trade with that great country', not in the interests of the traders of any singlo nation, but of tho economic conditions of the world."