The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-25
URGENT NEED f OR ? PARLEY SAYS BORAH.
Idaho Senator Declares Bene- fits of Washington Confer ence Lost Unless a Solu-
 ton Is Found for the
 Preparations TangIe

 By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Ex- pressing confidence that more ma ture reflection" would serve to di- minish opposition to his proposal that the President call conference of world powers for discussion of economic questions and further re- auctions of land and sea armaments, Senator Borah, republican, Idaho, in a formal statement tonight de- ciared that i've have reached point where we are to lose all advantages gained" at the Washington arms con- ference unless a solution of the reparations problem is found"
 The Idaho senator made no direct reference to the statement issued last night by Senator Johnson, re- publican, California, another fire concilable," in which the Borah amendment to the pending naval ap- propriation bill was assailed as a proposal which would dump into Americas lap the economic ills of Europe and the reparations muddle." ," Senator Borah did mention, however, opposition to the sugge--ion, which, he said, was along the I.lies of that to the arms conference when 1t first was proposed. Timidity and opposi- ton, in that case shifted, he added, to "very general support" as the ,arapocaI ,r,ac cftiJ,ad
 Discusses War Debt
 Discussing Europe's war debt to the United States, Senator Borah said, Some people seem to be ex- ercised over the cancellation of this debt" adding:
 T am far more exercised over Europs's inability to pay. [ haven't any fear about the open cancellation of this debt. But no child now living 1 will see it's payment if the subject of reparations is permitted to go from bad to worse until another war takes place.
 We are interested in the repara- tions question, therefore, because we are interested in the payment of what Europe owes us. We are also
 interested in 1t because we want Eu- ropean markets opened to our farm products. Millions are hungering and dying in Europe for the products which are rotting on our farms. Shall we say that these matters do not con- cern us? Nothing concerns us more.' Asserting that the reparations tangle directly. immediately, vital ly" concerned the United States, Senator Borah declared:
 Tt involves millions to our peo pie and it may involve another con- flict. I am not overfond of confer ences, but there are times when they are helpful. This seems to be one of those times"
 Prccedents for Conference
 There are many precedents for the conference he proposed, the senator said, adding that the United States had participated officially in such conferences and with European na- tons more than once. and had never hesitated to confer with reference to economic. financial and commercial matters.
 Such conferences" the statement continued, have never been regarded by the most zealous advocates of our traditional policies as in contraven- ton to them.
 Declaring that no public man had been a more pronounced believer in our traditional policies" than former President Roosevelt, the Idaho senator declared that MT. Roosevelt Specifically indorsed this kind of conference and regarded such conferences al means of pre- serving the policies of Washington and Monroe"