Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-17
SEEKS !.
!. ECONOMIC meet
AT WASHINGTON
Foreigners Would Like TO
See U. S. Take the
Initiative In Move
lRy MARK SULLIVAN

10y MANN SObIlN V AM
Washington. D. c.. Dec. 1e.-Another
conference, an economic one, is in the
air. There can't be much doubt about
that. Even the least sophisticated per-
son must have learned to read the
signs when that occasionally service
able hand maiden. the newspaper, iy
called into the anteroom of diplomacy.
and We SEQ cautiously vague dis
patches from London, to the effect that
the British capital has heard ''rImors
Of an International economic confer
encs at Washington"
The particular dispatch in the pres
ent case goes on to say that, while
lit is not assumed that such a confer
ence has been decided on" nevertheless
ence has. aroused hopes that the
economic troubles of Europe may he
settled by a similar gathering"
There Is discreet reference to
vague reports that Lloyd George and
BRAND intend to go to Washington to-
Sether" The London Times Is quoted
az saying:
The suggestion is hazarded thatNM..
BRAND and Mr.. LLOYD George might
not deem the moment inopportune to
lay the whole question of the needs
OF shattered Europe before President
Harding. who undoubtedly has the
warmest sympathy for stricken con
tinept." Tho London Daily Telegraph
Is quoted az saying that amy American
Initiative would be. welcomed with en-
thusiasm.''
Finally. in this same dispatch from
London, the Morning Post Is quoted
TO the effect that such a conference.
II participated in by America. would
be welcome development"
All this. let the. reader understand.
constitu,es one variation OF that YER
satile and complex process that goes
on under the name OF diplomatic
feeisrs' 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 economic
conference"
II the writer were asked to give an
answer, he would try to express what
ever he has learned to be the Wash
ington attitude on the idea of an
economic conference. Within that field
In the first place the ract is that the
American authorities have frequently
said In an unofficial and indirect way
that no step whatever towards an
economic conference win be taken un-
I'll the present armament conference
has been finished successfully. A few
months ago the same sort OF inspired
"feeler' was put out from London
with the idea OF having economic mat
ters added to the agenda of the pres
ent conference. on thar occasion the
answer from Washington was court
eousIy but emphstically TO the effect
that there vas nothing doing"
Armament Limitation must. be = success
and everybody must contribute whole
heartedly to that success before any
consideration would be given to sus
gestions of an economic conference
In the second place. and with slight
Iy less confidence, the present writer
would repodt as the attitude Of Wash
ington that as regards an economic
conference. Europe must take the
initiative and not America.
II ia true We suffe, greatly in our
business by reason OF conditions which
an economic conference would cure but
Europe suffers more Than We do. The
European propsgandists who want
America to take the initiative rely on
the pressure Of increasing economic
distress among our people. which isn't
a very pleasant attitude to take. And
the answer is that We can stand IL
longer than Europe can
II Europe wants this economic con-
ference the best way to promote It
Ia first. to fix the German-repar rs tions
for which Europe and not America are
responeihle. and then stop Keeping up
largo armies and stop printing paper
money Both OF which are steps that
Europe. and Europe only can take
after this exercise of selfihelp an
economic conference would look more
reasonable TO America. .-....
Copyright 1871 by the New York
Evening Post, Ipc)