, 1923-10-15
Lloyd Georges Tribute

The people of the United States will find con-
siderable qualification over the tribute by Lloyd
George to the soundness of certain international
policies of the present national administration.
Lloyd George is at present paying a visit to
this side of the Atlantic. In a recent address he
declared that Secretary Hughes plan for the
settlement Of the Preparations dispute Is "abso-
lutely the best hope of the settlement of repara-
TONS" Since the PREPARATIONS controversy seems
to be the great obstacle to the resumption of the
enterprises and industries of peace, 1t follows
that Secretary Hughes has made the most prac-
teal suggestion looking toward restoration of
the world to normal conditions.
The former British premier is not alone in the
estimate he has made of the Hughes proposal.
Other eminent men here and in ether countries
have approved it with equal earnestness. Our
internationalists, however, did not rally to the
scheme when II was first put forth last Decem-
Der. Their refusal may have been due to the
fact that the plan was not of Democratic or
Wilsonite origin or that it did not call for any
sacrifice on the part of the United States or
any official participation by this government in
European affairs. Those are the apparent spec
ifications to which any plan for European re-
lief must conform to meet the approval of the
internationalists.
Since the Hughes proposal was made in the
address at New Haven nearly Il year ago, there
have been repeated efforts to deceive the people
of the country ms TO the nature of the suggestion.
1t has been widely declared that Hughes pro
posed that the United States select some of the
AA'ih''hE VI a. iNlhihAAbiiN ibhiiblNntilrl ~ iftii No
such thing. After asserting that IL would be nm
wise for the United States to act Is arbitcr be.
cause of the i'll feeling thai would result, he sug
gested that IL European statesmen cannot agree,
why should they not invite men Of the highest
authority in finance in their respective coun-
tries-men of such prestige, experience und hon
or that their agreement upon tho amount TO be
paid, and upon n financial plan for working out
the payments, would be accepted throughout the
world as the most authoritative expression OBJ.
tninable?" lie also said, II have no doubt that
distinguished Americans would be willing to
serve on such Il commission.
There was not the rcmotest intimation that
the United States government would select any
members of the commission but, rather, the oh
|viously sensible plan, that the nations to DO af.
fected by the findings select the men TO make the
inquiry and to formulate the report.
What the American intcrnationalists want,
and what most of the leaders in Europe want is
further material aid and not advice. The cancel.
lation of the allied debts, the policing of centers
of disturbance by American armies and ships.
and the American collection of the Preparations
bill, are what they want, and our refusal to
grant these desires is what they have in mind
when they speak of Isolation and "desertion.n
Fortunately for the American people, they
have adhered to the traditional policy of avoid.
ing ENHANCEMENT in European broils and have
placed in positions of authority men who are in
sympathy with that policy.