Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-13

The United States was right in
keeping free and uncommitted" as to
European affairs, in the belief of Eliot
wadsworth, assistant secretary of
the Treasury, who recently returned
from a successful diplomatic mission
to Europe.
Such a policy. he believed, will not
only allow America to remain
| strong" to handle its own business
effectively, and avoid ENHANCEMENT
of European politics in political cam
paigns here, but also will enable this
nation eventually to prove of great
est benefit to Europe itself.
The situation over the Ruhr is one
of the recent major difficulties which
which Mr.. wadsworth feels this gov
, srnment has escaped, a situation
which would have caused this gov
eminent to declare itself, thereby
aligning America, and bringing, or at
least tempting, foreign influence in
American political campaigns.
Helped Fund Huge Debt.
Mr.. wadsworth was special rep
resentative of the State Department
to negotiate payment to this country
of the s245,ooo,000 bill for the Amer
lean army of occupation on the
Rhine. He went to Paris and brought
back an agreement satisfactory TO
all-provided Germany pays. Through
his experiences abroad with the al
lied representatives of Europe, Mr.
wadsworth obtained first hand infor-
nation on the situation there. He is
secretary of the American debt conf
mission, authorized by Congress to
fund the war debts of the allies 20
this country and participate In the
now famous negotiations Wnlch re
suited in funding the British debt,
the largest financial transaction In
the history of the world.
mestic Campaigns. Mr.. wadsworth
believes, would threaten. had this
government chosen the course OF rat
Surprising for a moment" ex-
planned Mr.. Wadsworth, that the
United States had officially taken
part in the discussion and confer
ences of the past three years, then
surely our representative would
States on one side or the other of
the great questions which have been
considered, questions involving Euro
pean national policies of the most in
frtCate
representatives, In an effort to bring
! bout results, must have taken de-
cisions ard thrown the influence of
the United States in favor of or
against the plans suggested.
Must Have Public support.
European statesmen are quite
aware today that even a very high
official of this government must ulti-
mateIy depend upon the approval of
public opinion to make his acts eff
fective, In a situation which changes
almost from day to day how could
any American representative know
what public opinion would support?
In fact, how could there be any in
telligent public opinion when 1t is
difficult even for men on the ground
to follow developments and under
stand what Is back of them? The
different attitudes taken by England
on the question of separations and
the Ruhr under three ministries
which rapidly followed each other
Is a good example of the difficulties
which would confront this country
in determining it's course.
Suppose again." he added. that
the United States through its official
representatives had committed itself
for or. against the present action in
the Ruhri that stand could not fail
to become a political issue in the
next campaign. It would be an issue
upon which the voters could not be
fully informed, and yet the result of
| the voting would be of paramount
Importance to the nations of Europe
who would be affected. What ma
ton. with its interests at stake. could
resist the temptation of taking part
| in such a campaign"
Could Not He Mandate.
THAT Is one of the old arguments
against the official presence of the
United states in the political arena
of Europe, and only to make it more
definite do cite the Ruhr as typical