Evening star., 1922-12-30
Definite Course
tOBePursued
Mapped Out.
VEIL OF SECRECY
US RIPPED ASIDE
Next Move Is Up to
Allied Prenliers,
Is View.

The veil of secrecy which for weeks
has shrouded the Administrations at
titude toward helping stricken Europe
out OF her difficulties was lifted yes
terday with dramatic suddenness
when, from three separate sour"tD
definite statements replaced "Aa'
heretofore has been confined to slen-
derly-woven conjectures.
In the Senate Senator Watson OF
Indiana, an administration spokesman
who speaks with authority. said that
"fee,erS" had been made by this gov
ernment to determine whether over
lures for an economic conference
would be welcome" In Europe.
At the White House 1t was stated
on the highest authority that fresl-
dent Harding was not now conteh-
plating the calling of general eco
nomic conference. but at present was
considering American participation III
an economic conference on German
reparations.
Newt Move Up to Premiers.
Addressing a New Haven. Conn
audience last night. Secretary OF
state Hughes advocated an interna-
tional commission of financiers' III
cluding Americans. which "ouio oe
called to recommend methoo oi
aettlement for the reparations crlsis'
This suggestion-which genera!i! was
fnterpreted as rejecting the aoih'n
istration's inteutions-was mace .ne
Secretary OF State pointed OUT: IN .He
event that the premIers IN 'heiF % .
meeting next Tuesday tah 10 nnu "
haSis tor adjustment among tneH-
selves" 1,,+son,s
S,atsment Senator Borah OF Ioaho
,vithdrew his amendment 10 the
Navy bill providing, for oon,snencs tine cai,n ans
The view generally taken here was
that the next move lies In the hahos
OF the allied premiers. ,.,.,,,
Secretary Hughes stressed the We"
that settlement by the premlers was
TO be hoped for He pointed ous M
faiiine such an agreement: the "oria
might be facing the employment OF
rorcihle means to collect reparatlons
from Germany, and outlined the
danger to world peace the American
government foresaw In that course.
Reiterntes " arning.
mon that the United States could not
,ook with favor on attempted forcioie
collection was reiterated. py MT.
Hughes in his address, and the f1nan-
ciaI commission plan put forward as
an alternative that would open hope
fully" the way for American help
fulness.
A a first condition of appoint
msnt of an economic commission,
however Mr.. Hughes specified that
the whole question of Germanys
canacity to pay and methods OF pay
ment must be taken out OF politics.
He emphasized that the distinguished
financiers assigned to recommend
not only a financial plan Of payment
hnt the amount to be paid must be
freed of the domination Of foreign
odices and the necessity OF obeyfng
political instructions. The problem
must be squared with economic 1acts
alone, he said, and relieved OF all
inc questions Of sentiment and clash
ing political opinion. recrimtnations
and counter charges which have
blocked recuperation of Europe up
to this time.
Air Considerably Cleared.
It was this method alone. the
secretary's statements plainly In
dicated. which in the view OF the
American government would make
possible American economic aid to
Europe. He dismissed both proposals
for general economic conference
and discussion of allied debt can
collation. as impracticable proposals.
secretary Hughes address and
Senator Borahs withdrawal OF his
Nayy bill amendment combined TO
clear the air considerably with regard
TO the effort of the American govern
ment to be helpful in the reparations
tanRle. 1t had been made plain that
the administration saw no present
hone of accomplishing good results
through the method proposed by
Senator Borah. The two-day Senate
debate had served, however, to make
oficials both here and abroad aware
Of the desire in this country that
American help should be given toward
European recuperation If way to
make 1t available can be found.
There was nothing here today to
indicate that the American govern
ment had it now In mind TO take any
other initiative than to suggest In
formally, as Mr.. Hughes has done. a
way in which the allied premiers
themselves might seek the aid OF
American economic strength in re-
storing Europe
Hope for Acceptance.
Neither the White House nor the
state Department would give any
definite information as to what atti-
1ude the sounding-out process may
have developed in European capitals.
At the same time. however. there we're
indications that so far the plan had
encountered no actual opposition on
The part of any foreign government
and that the administration had high
hopes of it's final acceptance.
So far as Germany is concerned, it
has been plainly indicated heretofore
that the commission plan would be
entirely acceptable. A definite state
ment to that effect was contained in
a cablegram recently received from
the German Induetrie-und Handel
stag, an organisation of German in
dustrial leaders. to the Chamber of
Commerce Of the United States. whose
ohlcials have had the proposal for q
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