plaits; Baldwin. Lord | Lady '1385/9/59
BRITISH EMBASSY, 9H ,/
WASHINGTON, B. C«
August 22nd, 1MH>
No. 988
My Lord,
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley arrived In Sew Yostfe
on August 13th In order to attend the World Congress
on Education for Democracy organised by Columbia
University*   At a dinner on August 16th before an
unusually large and representative audience Lord
Baldwin delivered a moat inspiring speech of which I
n have the honour to enclose the text as reported in
the "New York Times".   This speech was broadcast by
all the important networks throughout the United
States and Lord Baldwin*s splendidly impressive delivery
and the weight and distinction of hie utterance cannot
have failed to have its effect*   The news reels also
show him at one of the most dramatic moments of his
speech where he stated that nA Democrat should work
for, and be prepared to die for his democratic Ideals*1,
and this again is excellent publicity.
2* The principal eastern newspapers have all
published leading articles of which, as examples, I
have the honour to enclose those from the "New York
____       Times" and "Sew York Herald Tribune"*   The "New York
Times" says "This great statesman, who spoke in his
early Prime Ministry with a yearning sigh for his farms,
who declines to take himself tragically, and mho has
at great inconvenience come to speak to and of democracy
In the world, has won the enduring gratitude of a new
generation as well as of his own*"   The "Beaton Transcript"
says/
The Richt Honourable
VP* wfiu. VALM:CL
The Viscount Halifax, K. G.,
etc«,       etc*, ete«
INDEX
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says, "Lord Baldwin In an inspired speech found the
highest sanctions for democracy In the spiritual
life that it permits its c it lawns to litre"'* The
"Mew York World Telegram" refers to Lord Baldwin's
impressive warning to democracies*   "Bat It is neither
war nor alliances for war that Lord Baldwin stresses
for his American hearers*   On the contrary he is
careful to recognise the difference between the duty
of the United States and the possible duty of his own
people•••••*• The best way for this nation to defend democracy
is to hasten to make Its own democracy work so successfully
and convincingly that it can refute and rout totalitarian
claims."   The Philadelphia Ledgar" writes that if there
was nothing startiiagly new In the opinions expressed by
Lord Baldwin his re-stateawnt of the principles which
guide the Governments of free peoples was as forceful as
It was timely.   "Lord Baldwin did well to stress the
spiritual rather than the political foundations of
democracy*   Each democratic nation must work out its
groblems for itself*   The sharing of freedom bought with
a great price does not mean that America and Britain
should enter into political relations, nor did Lord
Baldwin make such a suggestion*   He was too wise for that*
It is to be hoped his fellow countrymen share this wisdom*"
The "New York Herald Tribune" says that others have dwelt
before on the dangers that beset democracy bat few have
spoken with such authority as Lord Baldwin.   "in honoring
Grsat Britain's former Prime Minister the Congress on
Education/
* » p
Kducation for Democracy has rendered a service to
democracy itself.   The ideals for which Sari
Baldwin has striven have been those for which all
democracies mast continue to strive if they are to
survive and finally rout dictatorships" •
3. Lord Baldwin Made a further speech en August
17th In Carnegie Hall in which he urged bis audience
to take care of what they had got*   "if you once let
your democracy drift, degenerate into licence -
•gainst which the founders of your Constitution took
such pains to preserve § then its end is certain*
Bat the end of licence is always the came thing* Sooner
or later, tyranny.   It is the farce of law and order
that willnot tolerate disorder*   It is obtained by
force and you get tyranny*   We tee that in the world
today*   And then gradually the revolt against tyranny
comes and you go round the wheel, the circle, again
democracy, licence, tyranny"•   Lord Baldwin pleaded
that men and women in a democracy should take a clear,
well-reasoned view of foreign affairs without allowing
questions of domestic politics to enter in*   "If the
foreign policy of a country is not a policy separated
entirely from the current domestic politics, then
democracy can never get that union and, with that union,
the strength which is essential for the democracy to
be able to act at any moment with promptitude to male*
her wishes and her desires clear to the world; in other
words, to sake her weight effective in the world*11
4* In the coarse of his stay in Hew York Lord
Baldwin was given an honorary degree at Columbia University *
8*/
5
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5, Finally, I quote from a latter received
from the Director of the British Library of
Information who was present at the banquet* HI
cannot help reflecting how small are the efforts of
the would~be»p?opagandlsts, who are so anxious to
spend public money over here, in comparison with
this great vindication of the moral strength and
Stability of the British people, and how unnecessary
so long as representative Americans are willing to
Invite a British statesman like Lord Baldwin to
address them en the great issue of the day."
Z have the honour to be,
with the highest respect,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient
humble servant,
{son} Ms @* noma