The Washington herald., 1922-12-26
Senator Elect Fess Declares
Timidity Blocks Peace
In Europe.
SITUATION BARS U. S. AID
Says Powers Must Depend On
Selves, Not America, For
Salvation.
By SIMON ID. FESS.

Zone of the Administration
closest advisers in the presen
House and Senator-elect from Presi
dent Harding's home State.D
Written ExpressIy for Universal servIc<
Europe's serious situation is
economic. Its remedy is delayed
because of more or less rivalry
between nations.
The Immediate question upper
most is reparations. The delay of
final and definite decision is
largely due to a failure to reach
an agreement of what il should
be. failure not SO much because
OF difference Of judgment Of what
liz best. but fear of results back
home Of the decision. Thus an
economic verdict delayed from po-
litical fear.
1T is not SO much the size uf
the reparations as the certainty
OF the final amount So long as
the latter is indefinite. the maxi
mum Of energy will not be at
tempted, the bankruptcy Of Ger
many will BE- pleaded as a Ie-
tense. and outside relief will ne
impossible.
This situation must be relieved
by Europe, NOT BY AMERICA.
What shall be the final decision
of Germany's ability to pay must
be determined by the parties in
interest. Until the proper par
ties take this step, THEY BAR
ALL RELIEF FROM OUTSIDE.
AND ESPECIALLY FROM THE
UNITED STATES.
No thoughtful American will
urge our Government to assume
the province Of saying what the
figure shall be. Such decision
would carry with Il the hope and
probably the demand that the de.
cision be made good by us.
Should IT appear to us that
France, in her own interest,
should reduce her demands upon
Germany, France would quite
naturally agree and at once upon
the same grounds demand OF us
to make a like reduction of the
debt she owes to us. Already
Bonar Law has declared Eng
lands inability to pay us what
she owes unless France can pay
her what she owes. France
pleads inability TO pay unless
Germany is made to pay.
No citizen can fail to see the
inevitable demand upon us for
cancellation of Europe's debt as
the major purpose of the insis-
tent desire to have this country
take the lead in an economic con-
ference to discuss European prob
lens. The dispatches from every
European chancellory point to
this one. motive.
Americas economic aid will
flow to Europe. not officially.
but naturally and industriaIly,
the moment Europe takes steps
to insure stability. Capital Is
here awaiting investment. which
will never enter any country so
long as policies persist that pre-
clude the possibility Of industrial
revival.
That revival can NOT depend
upon other than adjustments in
Europe between the co1testing
countries. These disputes which
we can NOT settle are neither
of our making. nor are they our
concern save our interest in the
general peace of Europe.
The strained contention of in
terested parties that our own in
dustrial welfare demands our in
tervention is both unwise and un-
true. Our exports the present
year are quite double what they
were before the war. Europe has
the buying power awaiting its
increase If common sense prin-
ciples of production are respect
ed. She must work and save
nothing else will win.
In our desire to help We will
not involve ourselves i'm compli-
cations which are neither effectual
for those We desire to assist, nor
conducive to our own safety. The
very best thing we can do for
Europe Is to let her know once
for all that economic assistance
depends upon her putting her
house in order first. House.
cleaning is her own task. not
ours.
All talk of our umpiring these
disputes is gratuitous. There is
no doubt of the hopefulness of
our Government that Europe will
open the way to utilize the as
sistance that this country will
be willing to give.