Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-07
AMERICA ADOPTS
STAND OFF POLICY
At COUNCIL MEET
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
(LeaseG Wire Service to The Journal
DOWNRIGHT 1922

| (Le2Sed Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON. Jan. 6.-Amer-
ica's attitude toward the economic
relief of Europe has been given to
Ambassador Harvey for pr, ,entation
to the supreme council. 1t consists,
in brief, of an expression Of willing
ne=s to listen sympathetical1y to
any proposal that the European
nations may offer but reserves the
right to approve or disappl owe, par
ticipate in or stand aloof from the
plans that may be suggested.
Talks which this correspondent
has had with .embers of the cabinet
since the session on TIL day, when
the greater part Of the discussion
was about the European conference
situation, lead to the conclusion that
the Harding administration is not
going to tell Europe what to do but
is going to wait and see If Europe
can recognize its own shortcomings
and show the world that it is ready
to. overcome them.
The viewpoint Of the American
government is simply this: The arms
conference was called at Washing
ton in the hope that a reduction of
armament both on land and sea
would bring relief to America
overburdened treasury and would at
the same time start Europe toward
balancing of budgets. The United
States felt that armament was the
root Of the whole business and that
exchange couldn't be stabilized until
Europe recognized that Germany
was up against it and couldn't pay
all the reparations France was de-
handing of her and that Europe her
self couldn't begin to balance
budgets until the immense expendi-
lures for military and naval arm
ament were stopped.
Americas Part Done
The United States government
feels that something was accom-
plished along naval lines in the con-
ference here, but is amazed to find
some of the nations 80 far from
seeing solution of the economic
situation as to be actually propos-
ing an increase in ravies. On top
Of this came France to argue that
the land armament Question couldn't
even be taken up.
Surveying the situation at the cab
met meeting, members of the admin
istration came to the conclusion that
America had done her part in TAX
ing the initiative, had shown the
world a willingness to cut her navy
to the very lowest possible basis
and now was being forced against
her will to build ships for the next
two years so as to match the desires
of the other nations.
Instead Of an immediate reduc-
ton there is in fact only a future
limitation. But aside from that, the
disappointment is most keen over
the European ideas on land arma-
ment.
AS cabinet members here see 1t,
Europe has about 100000 men un-
der arms for a total population OF
100000, 900 people. Poland alone has
400, 900 men in her army and hasn't
begun taxing her peasants. Her re-
ceipts are only 20 per cent Of her
expenditures. If the ratio OF men
under arms to total population were
maintained in the United States as
in Europe, the equivalent would be
about 100000 men in the Amerl-
can army, according to estimates
made by American officials.
Revolving Question
So the whole question is a revolv-
ling one. There can be no stabilized
exchange until there is credit. There
can be no credit system if there Is
no balancing budgets. There can
be no balancing Of budgets until
rigid taxation is applied and until
military and naval expenditures
cease. There will be neither of these
latter things until Europe recog-
nizes the unfortunate truth, that she
cannot be expected to recoup her
war losses out of bankrupt Germany
and that the war lasted too long
and too much was destroyed to eX'
pect Germany to pay for the war
in the sense that French statesmen
are leading their people to believe.
u. S. Not to Blame
The United States government fur
thermore disclaims responsibility for
the present economic situation IN
Europe. No pressure has been ex-
erted for the, payment Of the war
debt. No request has even been
made for interest payments. The
French, for instance, do not include
their war debt to America in their
list of published liabilities, it was
pointed out by one member of the
cabinet here They refer always to
a political debt to America due to
the war" The impression given is
that III their minds they have can
celled the debt.
Not a single proposal has been
discussed by the Harding cabinet
looking toward European relief
through economic channels for while
business men may be shouting about
the necessity of some concrete plan
of stabilizing exchange the viewpoint
of the government is that every plan
finally hinges upon two questions
German Preparations and the readl-
ness OF European governments to re-
duce military and naval expendi-
lures.
Something toward that end has
been accomplished at the Washing
ton confer ence but not enough.
America has tried her hand at the
armament question. Now let Europe
try something and propose it to
America. That's the official view
This country will not be found adopt
ing an obstructionist attitude but will
listen to ally plan that really shows
promise Of affording the whole world
some @elief. There is no intention to
use the war debt as a means of EN-
| barrassing European credit.
What Europe Must Do
Not a step has been taken as yet
at which Europe could take offense
but if the nations across the sea
want their wealthy creditor on this
side of the Atlantic to help them they
must frs tshow a genuine desire to
help themselves. The informal 0pin-
ion-not) expressed to any govern
| ment in Europe-but evolved here
merely as an answer to the European
demand for American participation
is that Europe must do certain
| things before America can be of any