(Due to arrive Melbourne-12.12.25)

My dear P.M.,

If you colour a map of the world with the same colour for both
British and American possessions, you get rather a startling
result. The necessity for a real Anglo-American understanding has
always been one of my few convictions. Hence my letter on the
subject by this mail. I was a little surprised at the vehemence
with which Tyrrell [1] spoke on the subject. As to your writing
personally to Coolidge [2], I don't know whether you will see your
way to doing this. It would no doubt be a good line to open up, if
there are not political complications that I don't see.

The faults in the American Constitution that Tyrrell quoted as
militating against a settled American Foreign Policy are, of
course, the fact that with the complete quadrennial change in
administration comes the possibility (and usually the probability)
of just as complete a change in policy all round. Added to this is
the thoroughly bad Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate.

According to most authorities, those Senators who are not ignorant
are mischievous, The typical American Senator is habitually quoted
as an example of the lowest form of human life.

It seems to me that the League is unlikely, in our time, to be
able to settle major disagreements between great powers-at any
rate outside of civilised Europe. Should a gradual feeling of
antagonism grow up slowly (or perhaps rapidly by a few
'incidents') between any two of Russia, China, Japan or America,
not to mention the British Empire, does the League offer much hope
of preventing large scale war? Troubles arising from minorities,
spontaneous frontier incidents such as the Greek-Bulgar trouble
[3], disputes over boundary adjustments such as Mosul [4], and
such comparatively minor troubles, I can imagine the League
dealing with. But with a spirit of resentment or indignation on a
nationwide scale, fanned probably by at least a section of the
press of each country, I cannot see the League being anything but
brushed aside.

But America and the British Empire combined in sympathy and the
aim of world peace would be a world force with a punch that would
command attention, and at least could localise the conflagration.

I don't know whether it affects you in the same way, but after
twelve months of reading F.O. despatches and telegrams, if one
searches one's mind for any general effect produced, it gives one
an impression of honesty of method and of aim. H.M.G. are out to
do the right and decent thing. Not with any shortsightedness
expressed in helping every lame dog over a stile, as their
doorstep would in that case soon be besieged by dogs-but by an
obvious desire to observe the golden rule, and not to use our
weight to undue advantage. In summing up, I would not even stress
our obvious desire for Peace, as it is to our advantage -we have
nothing to gain and a lot to lose by war.

Beatty [5] has been six years at the Admiralty. It is said that he
is only hanging on as long as Trenchard [6] stays at the Air
Ministry. I understand on very good authority that when Beatty
does go, he will be succeeded by either Madden [7] or Brock [8] -
probably, I believe, the latter.

I am, Yours sincerely,
R. G. CASEY