The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-01-06
. By DAVID LAWRENCE
I Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
-@ COPYRIGHT 1922

that the Harding administra-
ton Is not going to tell Europe what to .
do but j. gOiig To wait and see II Europe
can recognize its own shortcomings and
show the world that it Is ready to over
come them.
The viewpoint of the american gov I
eminent is Simply this the arms con-
ference was called at Washington in
the hope that a reduction of armament
both on land and sea would bring re
lief to America 5 overbmdened treasury
and would at the same time start EJl-I
rope toward a balancing of budgets.
The United States felt that armament
was the root OF the whole business and
that exchange cuuldn Z be stabilized UNI
til Europe recognized that Germany was
up against II and couidn T pay all the
Preparations France was demanding OF
her and that Europe herself cOlldn I
begin To balance budgets until the inn
mcnse expenditures for military and ma
val armament were stopped.
Has Accomplished Something.
The United States feels that some
thing was accomplished along naval
lines. In The conference here but Is
amazed to find some of the nations 50
far from seeing a solution of the, Geo.
nomic situation as to be actually pros
posing an frtcfrase in nayics. On top of
this came France to argIe that the land
armament question coa.du I be taken
Up. r- e. &c. .t.
Surveying the situation at the cabi-.
net meetiR members OF the admins
tration C3me to the conclusion that
America had done her part in taking
the initiative, had shown the world a
Willingness 10 cut. her Navy to the very
lowest possible basis and NOW was be
ing forced against her VIII to build ships
for the HdKt two years so as to match
the desires of the other nations. a
~ FTsEs,
there is m fact only future limitat ion.
But aside from that, the disappointment
j. most keen over the European ideas
ON land armament. As cabinet members
here see 1t Europe has about 3.j006dO
under arms for IA total population of
6e000 00Qn people. Poland alone has
lo0,O 600 men in her army and hasu Z be
gun taxing her peasants. Her receipts
are only - per cent of her EXPENSES. If
the ratio of men under arms to total
population were maintained in the
United States rs in Europe. the cquiva
lent would be about 100000 men in
the American army. according to esti-I
mates made by American officials.
\ Revolving Question
So the whole question is a revolving
one. There could be no stabilized eN-
change until there is credit. There can
be no credit system if there is no bal
aucing OF budgets until rigid taxation is
applied and until military and naval
expenditures cease There will be nei-
Their of these latter things until Eu-
rope recognizes the unfortunate truth
that she cannot be expected to Tecoup
her war losses out of bankrupt GeT-l
many, and that. the waroasted too long
and too much was destroyed to expect
Germany to pay for the war in the
ing their people to. believe.
The United states furthermore, dis
claims responsibility for the present ec
oHomic situation. No pressure has BEEN
eXerted Tor the payment of the war
debt. No request has even been made
instance do, not include their war debt
to America, in their list of published lia-l
bilItiCs, 1t was pointed out by one mem
Der of the cabinet here. The French re
fer always. to political debt TO Amer
lea due To the war;. The impression
given is that in their minds they have
cancelled the debt
Not Il single proposal has been decided
upon by the Harding cabinet looking
toward European relief through eco
monte channels, for while business men
may be shouting about the necessity of
some concrete plan of stabilizing eX-
change, the view point of the govern
ment X that every plan finally hinges
upon two questions-German repara-
tioDs aud the readiness of European
governments to reduce military and ma
val expenditures. Something toward
that end has been accomplished at the
Washington conference but not enough
America has tried her hand af the ar
mament question. Now let Europe try
something and pF8Rose lit to America.
a'fllat Is the officiaf view, s8This5 country
sFill not be found 5tlQptin9 an obstruc-
Zionist attitude but vii listen to any
plan that really shows promise of af-
fording the wholef world some relief.
There is no intentions TO use the debt
as means of embarrassing European
credit Not a ster has been taken at
which Europe could take bffense but if
the nations across t9ie 4ea want their
wealthy creditor QhNhhis aide of the At
'iantic to helnl5hemttafy must FIRST show
a. geasilae-t 6Afre- te,shelf i, themselves The I
zin1 oTmal s@pinio mot . expressed to any
government N Eurobe-buf evolved here
merely as an answer to the EuTopeani
demand for American participations is (
that Europe must do certain things be-
fu1e America can be of any assistance: /
What Europe Must DO.
First, budgets must be balanced and
money! spent on land armies reduced. /
Pledges must be given that no more
money will be snent on navies.
Second. IntpTnal taxation must be sys-
tematicaHV beguns everywhere (
Third, Cprylanr Preparations must be +
adjusted on a sreasonable and equitable |
basis.
When. ell these things are. accom-
lIisheazSs tifeElssl. vi. BE sg2dy, to nf
TotiTrC- inc TUirrf1TfTs OF WIZ debt3 diid |.