RELATIONS WITH AMERICA

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21034, 9 February 1940, Page 4

RELATIONS WITH AMERICA

An encouraging sign that relations between Britain and the United States remain very cordial is given by the decision to adjust difficulties arising out of war measures by means other than ordinary formal diplomatic channels. Such questions, it is reported, will be discussed almost entirely through personal diplomatic conferences, as far as possible, without resort to “sharp Notes.” The recent dispute over the British censorship of American mails at Bermuda indicated how a mountain could be made out of a molehill by the formal exchange of sharp Notes. The incident in fact was very quickly and simply settled as soon as full explanations were forthcoming. In a time of war such as the present the diplomatic relations of the two countries are almost constantly fluid. Incidents arise so quickly and so frequently through the application of the blockade and other war measures that almost constant discussions and adjustments are necessary- If the full diplomatic machinery has to be set in motion to deal with every difference of opinion, frequent delays, misunderstandings and unnecessary enlargements on more or less trivial difficulties are certain to result. Simplification of the procedure is apparently welcomed warmly on both sides of the Atlantic and should go a long way towards avoiding disputes in the future. So closely allied are the interests of the United States and Britain, and so close their viewpoints on the “democratic way of life,” that it should be possible to continue to treat with each other in the most friendly manner, making concessions wherever possible to ensure that the Allied campaign against the enemy of democracy is not hampered. The United States is surely willing to admit that it does not desire the success of the Nazi forces in the present war. It would not be going too far to say that the prospect of the defeat of the Allies would create terror in America. That being so, there is not likely to be grave objection in the United States to Allied measures which ar.- obviously aimed at checking the enemy of democracy. In other words, a little concession by the United States now might preserve the country from untold troubles in the future.