International Incident

Some people in Detroit last week showed that they considered Lord Halifax as American as Wendell Willkie. They threw eggs and tomatoes at him. The Ambassador, winding up a two-day inspection of Detroit's factories, was diplomatically calling on Detroit's Archbishop Edward Mooney. Twenty-five women were parading with placards (Remember the burning of the Capitol in the War of 1812) before the Archbishop's office. Pickets from an organization called The American Mothers had greeted Lord Halifax when he arrived in Detroit. This time there was also a loud maternal booing. A barrage of eggs and vegetables rose from the crowd. An egg smacked the tall, dignified Ambassador. A tomato landed at his feet. An uncooked omelette splattered his bodyguard. Detectives tried to hurry the Ambassador into the building. Said he: "Don't hurry, boys. Let them have a good time for their money."

British and U.S. officials both tried to pass off the egg-throwing lightly. Detroit's embarrassed Mayor Jeffries, whose police could not find the egg-throwers, philosophized: "When you come right down to it, people aren't very civilized." Members of The American Mothers said they did not do it, blamed another organization called Mothers of the U.S.A. The Mothers of the U.S.A. (both groups this week are picketing the White House) blamed The American Mothers. Said Lord Halifax: "My feeling was one of envy that people have eggs and tomatoes to throw about. In England these are very scarce."

Fact is that Lord Halifax has a fine set of those British virtues which the U.S. least understands. So he is considered a symbol of British aristocracy, of the Tories, of feudal England, although he is probably more representative of contemporary England than U.S. Ambassador John Winant is representative of contemporary U.S. life. Many a U.S. citizen fears the influence of British aristocracy, of British stuffiness in U.S. life, as many a Briton hates to think of U.S. movies, U.S. ways, U.S. "vulgarity" influencing British culture. Of the two, the American is the touchier. If some excitable Colonel Blimp had thrown a turnip at Ambassador Winant, the U.S. would have hit the international ceiling. Last week Britons were politely, politicly mum.

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