The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-15
CONFERENCE
RUMORS ARE
mere FEELER
Economic Farley Report Put
Out by Europe = Harding
Not Likely to Take Initiative
In Calling Sessions.
SETTLEMENT is HOPED
By MARK SULLIVAN

air. There cant be much doubt about
that
Even the least sophisticated person
must have learned to read the signs
whom that occasionally serviceable
hand-naiden, the newspaper. is cal
led into the anteroom of diplomacy,
and we see cautiously vague dis
patches from London. to the effect
that the British capital has heard
''rumors of an international economic
conference at Washington
Now rumors, as a rule. are subject
10 that same law that has been ex-
pressed in the epigram. Things don't
happen: they are brought about" In
the present case, it Is safe to say the
rumor is invented for the purpose of
being heard. and heard in the right
place. In the present instance, the
right place is Washington. The par
ticular dispatch in the present case
goes on to say that, while 'it is not
assumed that such a conference has
been decided on" nevertheless, "the
success of the armament conference
has aroused hopes that the economic
troubles of Europe may be settled by
similar gathering"
OlSCfeel He1erenCe
There is a discreet reference to
vague reports that Lloyd George and
BRAND intend to go to Washington to-
gether.' The London Times is quoted
as saying:
The suggestion is haZarded that
NJ. BRAND and Mr.. Lloyd George might
not deem the moment inopportune to
lay the whole question of the needs of
LNT1t- hAF
Harding. who undoubtedly has the
warmest sympathy for the stricken
continent" The London Daily Tele-
graph is quoted as saying that ANY
American initiative would be well
coined with enthusiasm"
Finally. in this same dispatch from
London the Morning Post is quoted to
the effect that "such a conference, if
participated in by America, would be
a welcome development"
Diplomatic FeeIer
All this, let the reader understand,
constitutes one variation of that YER
satile and complex process that goes
on under the name of diplomatic
feelers" the plain fact is that London
wants an economic conference, that
the British ministers will search their
papers carefully the next morning to
see what the dispatches back from
Washington will describe as the re
action to the suggestion of an eco
nomic conference"
If the writer were asked to give the
answer, he would try to express what
ever he has learned to he the Wash
ington attitude on the idea of an eco
nomic conference Within that field
in the first place. the fact is that thC
American authorities have frequently
said in an unofficial and indirect way
that no stop whatever toward an eco
nomic conference will be taken unit
the present armament conference ha!
been finished successfully
A few months ago the same sort 0
inspired "feeler" was put out from
London with the idea of having eco
uomic matters added to the agenda 0
the present conference. On that oc
casion the answer from Washington
was courteously but emphatically t,
the effect that there was nothing dc
ing" Armament limitation must be
success and everybody must contrit
fore any consideration would be givel
10 suggestions of an economic confer
ence.
Europe's Move
In the second place, and with sligh
" less confidence, the present write
would report as the attitude of Wasl
ington that as regards an economi
conference, Europe must take the il
itiatiVe and not America | say thi
with less confidence because a pr
dent newspaper man has learned tha
the attitude of statesmen frequentl,
and some times quite properly an
necessarily. changes with the prOgres
of events.
| have the best ground for sayIn
hay this has been the attitude {
Washington until within a few day
II might be changed easily by possiDl
changes in public feeling or by othe
events. The one sure limit to wht
Harding is likely to do is the lin
of what would be approved by th
United States senate and the Amer
can people.
Within that limitation Presdel
UaBding is not likely to take the init
tive for an economic conference
which Europe has so much larger
part than we have. 1t was EuroI
that created the conditions whiC
make the conference necessary, and
is Europe only that can take the fir
steps which such conference mu
recommend in order to heal the worl
Europe Suffers More.
It is true We suffer greatly in ol
business by reason of conditions whiC
An economic conference would cur
but Europe suffers more than We d
The European propagandists WI
want America TO take the initiati'
rely on the pressure of increasir
economic distress among our peopl
which isn't very pleasant attitut
10 take. And the answer is that '
can stand il longer than Europe ca
If Europe wants this economic co
ference the best way to promote it
sirst, to fix the German reparatiol
for which Europe and not America "a
responsible, and then stop keeping !
large armies and stop printing pap
money. Both of which are steps TN
n Europe and Europe only can take.
ter this exercise of self help an eC
nomic conference would look mo
reasonable to America.
Copyright 1921 by the New Yo
= Evening Post, Inc.