The Washington times., 1922-12-29

k:;' plots and plans
n ~ are cropping their
tEkkASA A9;s3x21%Uk&S way toward
some sort of
HARD national philoso.
ply which has not yet arrived The
parties are split: and even the blocks
are split; and IL the White House
Ia often split and does not know
which way to 60, II is only in har.
mony with everything else around II.
Rumors OF plots and plans turn
out usually to be only rumors. Our
Houghton in Germany
did not go to London recently in
order to confer with our Ambass
dor Harvey on deep international
problems. He went in order to get
some new clothes. The alleged pro.
found conference on European Ques-
tions by our Ambassadors Houghton
and Harvey and Fletcher was and is
myth. So people say now who
personally saw the whole incident !;
and whether they are right or wrong
In their account and estimate OF II
they. at any rate, tell story which
points the way to a great usual
truth about our national and inter.
national policies. That truth is this:
whenever there IL a report Of
any mysterious far-reaching plan
by any effective concert Of Ameri.
can statesmen for the settlement
OF the world or OF the United
states States, the report is false.
Observe the behavior OF the con.
f.. s.sht tah l., .Al
gressive Bloc" The two old regu.
ways TO have any distinctive pro.
grams, Progressive Bloc" or.
ganized In order to promote a dis
tinctive progressive" program
From this bloc" then we expect
a united national and international
policy based on one united scheme
of things. That is what we expect
But what do we get?
Just as soon as Senator Borah
introduces his naval bill amend
ment for an international economic
conference, we see part of the Pro
eressive Bloc" in favor OF II and
part OF the Progressive Bloc" op.
posed to Il. The "progressives''
are as divided as the conservatives
and the conservatives are so d.
vided that II any President would
only appoint all the conservative
Senators in the United States
Senate to be the American dele
gates In an International economic
conference. the report which they
would bring In would he one large
mutually Cancelled blank.
Tba ipoiha s{tn.tiop q. A,,oA,,
foreign affairs is today accordingly
simply this:
It makes no difference how many
rumors may be published about
plans on foot" and negotiations
projected and contacts estab
lished" for American action In Eu
rope, the fact remains that alb
solutely nobody in Washington car
at this time conceivably develor
any American plan for action In
Europe which would command the
necessary amount Of concerted
Washington support. Therefore
the only thing that Mr.. Harding
and Mr.. Hughes can possibly do Ii
to talk to Europe and-if they sc
please call that talk action.
An analysis OF all the so-called
plans for action by America In
Europe will show that they all In
fact come down simply to exhortine
Europe to do certain things which
II they were done, would make all
action by the American Govern
ment in Europe absolutely unneces
sary. The French are to moderate
their demands for reparations
They are to refrain from further
invasions OF Germany. All Eu
ropean governments are 40 reduce
their expenditures and balance Their
budgets. Then the American Gov
ernment will see what II can do
But then II would not have to dc
anything: because then, with Eu
rope thus pacified, the bankers O,
America would OF their own ac
cord be perfectly willing to lent
all reasonable amounts Of money te
customers so peaceful and so set
tied.
In other words, since America /.
certainly not going to guarantc,
to send any troops to Europe, an,
since II is equally certain II Ia not
going to cancel any Of the iebt,
which Europe owes to the Amer
ican Treasury, and since, all futur,
American money to Europe is 20
ing to come from our private bank
ers, and since the Europeans car
get that money at any time the,
please by simply doing the thing.
which those bankers already hav.
asked them to do. Il follows tha,
the only possible function left I,
the American Government is to nj,
Europe with exhortations and adj
monitions. That Is all that IL han
pening and that is all that car
happen. American Governments
actual action in Europe canno
possibly happen unless and unit
in Washington there IL some sligh
concert Of opinion among America,
statesmen regarding the nature q
an American active foreign policy
The most diligent inquiry revea,
No such concert today.