The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-09
HUGHES SPENDS
YEAR. WITH
u. s. PROBLEMS
Labeled as worker" When He
I Entered Cabinet, Has Set
tied Many Disputes.
By HARRY L. ROGERS,
lntsrnstienaI News Service.

\
| lntsrnstisnal News service.
| Hughes 10 q worker"
This remark, attributed to a
foymer Secretary of State when
tho news Of the selection Of Charles
u. Hughes as head of the Harding
| Cabinet, was announced, IL said to
be justified by his friends in re-
viewing activities Of the State DeA
partment during the year just
| ended.
Apart from the achievements Of
| the conference on the limitation
| Of armament. which from the point
of view of ground covered IL I'M
lprccedented In diplomatic history.
Secretary Hughes has clarified and
defined. the American attitude on
dozen, questions of outstanding in
| ternational Significance.
When the new Secretary OF State
| Assumed office he inherited sc.
ries Of problems from the Wilson
Administration which were almost
unprecedented in size and import
ance. The first Of these to require
attention was the disagreement be.
tween Panama and Costa Rica over
the boundary between the two
| countries. Tho Department OF
State dispatched identic notes on
March urging the immediate ces-
sation Of hostilities In order than
an appropriate settlement might be
arrived at In accordance with the
decision Of Chief Justice White,
who acted az arbitrator In the case.
Tells Russian Stand.
The action Of Secretary Hughes
| In the Russian situation made this
Governments attitude very clear.
A cablegram was transmitted to
Max Litvinoff, In which sympathy
was expressed for tho plight Of the
people Of Russia and the condition
laid down that this Government
would require convincing evidence
Of fundamental changes In Soviet
practice for the protection OF per-
sons and property.
Hunger Aiaea Policy.
When II seemed that all American
efforts would be frustrated the grow
ing hunger Of the Russian people
forced the Soviet authorities,
through Russian intellectuals. to ap-
peal to the United States for food.
Then Il was that the American Coy
eminent, through Secretary Hoover,
made the release of American pris-
oners the sine qua non Of American
famine relief, and the prisoners were
promptly freed.
Perhaps one of the most difficult
diplomatic tasks which Secretary
Hughes succe ssfully tackled was
that of acting as mediator in the
German reps rations tangle. When
! Germany Kol behind in her repara.
| tons payr ents and France was
fhreatert..x the Ruhr. the German
President appealed directly to wash
ington.
IN his reply. Secretary Hughes in
| vited Germany to present any con-
| crete proposals for adjustment Of the
| reparations difficulty, promising to
| transmit them to the allied govern
fnents. While this proposal was
| never carried through, 1t II generally
admitted that the American position
had much to do with bringing about
the temporary settlement which foi'
lowed.
| Another difficult question was
that Of American representation on
the various international councils
| and commissions which grew out OF
| the war, Mr.. Hughes laid down the
policy of American participation In
strictly economic European matters
whenever 1t was deemed that the
United States had direct interest
In their settlement.
Treaty With Germany.
Later Mr.. Hughes worked out a
treaty with Germany which Sc,
cured 20 America all rights ceded
under the treaty OF Versailles. A
similar treaty was negotiated with
Austria and Hungary.
| The action by Mr.. Hughes which
attracted probably greatest atten'
ton at foreign capitals was that
| respecting mandates In identc
notes, Mr.. Hughes brought to a
standstill negotiations which had
been in progress for more than a
wear. He stated emphatically that
the United States had Q co-equity
in the inundated territories coded
| to the allies by Germany; that
those mandates grew out OF the
common victory over Germany, to
which the United States had con-
tributed in goodly measure, and he
| ended with a declaration that this
Government. would never recognize
the right of the allies TO dispose
of those mandates without consult
| ing this Government.
| The unnfistakable nature Of this
note did away with any idea allied
statesmen may have, had OF run
ming their little show without the
| United States, and undoubtedly
paved the way for the arms con-
ference.
| Mexican Question.
Though the Mexican question is
still far from settled, 1t is generally
admitted that the clear statement by
Mr.. Hughes OF the attitude OF this
Government toward Mexico and the
conditions upon which this Govern
ment is prepared to recognize the
Obregon regime has done much to
clarity a situation which previously
was far from clear.
The famous zap controversy grad.
ually evolved into a controversy be-
tween the United States and Japan.
with tho alliea aa 0nlOOkera As a