Evening star., 1923-01-02
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


High politics. as well as high-mind-
ed politics, Is discernible in the Hard
ing administrators readiness to CO.
operate in disentangling Europe's
economic chaos Constructive Ameri-
can achievement in that direction may
be the paramount issue on which the
republican party, under Warren g..
Harding's leadership, will go to the
country in 1924. Certain inherent
considerations. generally overlooked
in the recent orgy of speculation over
the, administrators foreign plans,
justify such contemplation. Per-
haps the most significant aspect of
the Presidents declared willingness
to help Europe is the circumstance
that the American farmer backs that
lies the real milk in the cocoanut of
| the administrations new attitude
toward old world affairs. Practically
for the first time on record capital
and agriculture are looking at a con-
| troversial political issue through
street and Main street are marching
shoulder to shoulder in the cause of
European rehabilitation.
Trinity of Considerations.
Idealismi American self-interest and
| political self-preservation may be
bracketed as the trinity Of considera-
uons moving the administration with
regard to European affairs. Decisions
now crystallizing were directly forced
oy the November congressional cleo
| tions. As broadly viewed by republican
leaders, the results, especially in the
west and middle west, constituted q
revolt Of the discontinued agricultural
community; Men like Henrik Ship
Senate as a direct and concrete pro-
| test against conditions for which the
farmers held the republican: party and
administration responsible.
ns ci,iznn her,oan Hata farmer IKE the aver,
ner in which his pocket nerve is
affected. That nerve, during the past
year and half, has been hard hit In
a. variety OF ways. but perhaps no more
lean agriculture's European market. This
cattle raiser Of Wyoming and Montana
knew that In 1918 America exported
602. zoo. 900 pounds Of beef and that pork
ana lard sales abroad In the same year
amounted to- more than 1900, 900, o0t
/ pounds-
The wheat growers of Kansas and
the Dakotas knew that their old-time
expectations to Europe had dwindled
because old world finances were in
i
| the surplus breadstuffs that Amer
lean farmers raised and were yearn-
ing to sell. While Europe starved"
American farmers, with bulging bins,
and avoid foreclosure OF mortgages.
thought about such conditions was
exemplifed at the polls on Noyem-
| Der z.
Republicans Analyxe Selves.
Then. unbeknown to the country at
large. began a thorough heart-search-
| republican party. While the self
| analysis was in progress, the new
La Toilette radical bloc swung into
beiligerent being What to do to meet
consideration. A number Of solutions
| was offered by 'tbest minds" It was
| decided, as an elementary line of ,ac-
| tion, not to let the radicals choose
| the fighting ground and dictate the
| issue. -- -
one>of the suggestions put forward
and seriously; pondered was that the
country could be successfully rallied
against La Folietteism by hoisting
the banner Of the sanctity of the su-
against the project to Nclothe Con-
| sress with authority to revoke! Su-
preme-Court decisions. All hands ad-
mitted that. public sentiment might
| easily. be mobiIized for such a cru
sade, although they recognized the
the issue in a manner designed to
make 1t popular.
Since the advent of the Harding ad-
| ministration there has been group
| in.t cabinet consistently in favor OF
American cooperation in: European
{ reconstruction. Secretary Hoover was
perhaps the most avowed advocate OF
such q policy, and Secretaries Hughes
and Mellon always ranked as sup
porters of it So did Secretary Wal
lace, because of the farmers interest
In foreign markets for surplus Amer.
ican agricultural produce. Members
of the administration who long have
/ held such views found sudden adher.
diagnosis OF the November election
results set in. Trusted republican
leaders, pooling their judgments
came to the conclusion that IL the
Lelection had one specific lesson, 1t was
sthe s. o. 8. message sent to the ma ma.
iition's rulers by the farmers. The
| farmers clamored for help. They
needed something more than rural
i credits. They wanted their old Euro
/ pean market.
Decide to Abandon atIsolatien."
Thus it came about that on Decem.
/ Der Is intimations emanated from tbs
| white House that America, 'frrecon-
standing, must abandon its attitude
4 Of uYcompromtsing disinterestednesi
/ toward Europe. A situation had arisen
4 whereby ft became possible not only
/ to make q gesture designed to succol
1 Europe, but at the same time to pfa'
i cate the disseminated American farm.
i ar. Politically, II had even q more
i i'm portant aspect. It enabled the ad'
ministration to. step forth as the
friend and supporter Of the most vita
| element in the radical bloe.a-,It maj
turn out that theshloc has evan beer
Ekeoiae4 Ax RxeSlaent AardinIB sn1S-