"A Charming Character"

An English-language broadcast by Tokyo radio last week thoughtfully suggested that Colonel Robert R. McCormick's "plan for the absorption by America of all the British countries may perhaps be the best plan to safeguard American interests" (TIME, May 3). Excerpts:

"Just as you and I, Colonel McCormick . . . has both friends and enemies. His enemies brand him as a British-hating arch-isolationist, a publicity-thirsty megalomaniac. To his friends, however, Colonel McCormick is a man of independent will, a man of action, a fearless foe, ready to express himself regardless of consequences. I also assume there must be a group of neutrals who has no definite likes or dislikes about the colonel.

"At any rate, there is no doubt that Robert McCormick is an extremely charming character. I think America, today needs many more characters like this Chicago veteran. You will recall that a little more than three weeks ago the fighting Chicago newspaper publisher declared that he would start a nationwide editorial campaign for the absorption by the United States of all the British countries.

"Remember that Colonel McCormick's Chicago Tribune has no less than one million circulation. . . . Moreover, there is the possibility that other influential news papers, such as the New York Daily News, and the Washington Times-Herald, also may join the colonel's annexation campaign. . . . They will have tremendous influence over the reading public."

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