Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-23
COOLIDGE D|SPELS
DIPLOMATIC M|STS
Decision to Keep U. S. By.
stander as Europe Recov-
ers, Ends Propaganda.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Pres don't Coolidge has given the
Cuictus to the most intensive cam
E2ign TO win American favor that
has been waged since world war
Isropa gauda days. His definite indi
cation that our role in the European
crisis is that of disinterested by
stander is designed to put an end to
tho attempt TO commit the United States
to some form of active Intervention.
TIE campaign has been waged in
CesSantly since the French occupied
the Ruhr last January. 1t was d
thrre-corncred contest, with France
herself Great Britain and Germany as
rho rivals for the good will and the
good Offices of this country. At Wash
ington efforts were confined to orderly
diplomatic channels, with the ambaS-
~ doris of the interested powers acting
as tranSmitterS of their governments
viewpoints on recurring occasions.
Nation Was Divided.
In tho nation a. large. the attack on
public opinion was carried on with
every means known 10 the subtle art
Of propaganda. Americans themselves
strongly ,nrejudiced in one direction or
another, have participated. The net re-
suit vas such cleavage in national
sentiment that the administration hest
fated largely on that account TO take
.idcs Secretary, Hughes WAS conscious
'h"re was hardly any policy which
could command anything approaching
unanimous approval.
european missionary cndeavors had
d"f1niteiy different detectives. The
f>rltish and the Germans were frank
" anxious TO bring America. in in
support of program favored by the
London and Berlin governments. The
french were eager to keep America
out Paris would have regarded any
Move by the United States almost as
GravclT an armed uprising in the
Ruhr or outright heiliGerency by
Great Britain. French diplomacy.
therefore. probably considers il has
won the day in America because
Anglo-Gcrman desires for our inter
Ncntion we're not realized.
Neilon Report Big Factor.
1t is not far from the literal truth
70 say that II was the information
brought back by Andrew w. Mellon.
Secretary Of the Treasury that finally
determined the Coolidge administra-
ton 70 remain on the European side
lines. Mr.. MELONS report TO the
PRESIDENT that. grave as it is. the
Iuhr problem is capable of solution
in time by the parties directly at in
t"rest carried great weight with the
cabinet
The Secretary of the Treasury is
not only the big business man" of
the mini stration, but he is its only
u>ember who has been in Europe for
4 close-range inspection of conditions.
hen he reported that both France
sud Great Britain are rehabiltating
satisfactorily and in some respects
have already recovered their normal
prosperity. Mr.. Mellon made plain
that the statesmen of Paris and Lon
don are quite capable of padding
their own canoes. American aid
would he welcomed, hut is not neces-
farY. The European situation. the
Secretary Of the Treasury CLEANED, is
far from hopeless.
Find Germany Prospcrs.
Foiltically. Mr.. Mellon and other
American observers this summer have
discovered Germany is in chaos. But
i1dnsfrialiy she IS thriving. That was
shown in detail by the remarkable re-
port published this week by the
Chamber OF Commerce. There is lit
tie doubt this report played an in
fEential part in determining the Cool
idge cabinet to let Europe evolve it's
own salvation.
The international chambers inves-
tiGators aver that Germany to-day is
better prepared to come back than is
Great Britain" It added that if the
Ruhr We're evacuated Germany
"rould he in a better position to re-
sumo normal commercial activities
than any other great country in Eu-
rope.
All of these revelations. each in its
wsy give fiat contradiction to the
tales of woe sent up for Americas
benefit By the British, the French and
the Germans. They explode the we'll
propagated theory that Britain is a
land of starving. unemployed work
people threatening political cata-
CIV SIN unless the German market is
rcnpcned to British exports Similar
- they dispose of the widely circulat-
90 belief that the French. pending
Germany. viii remain face TO face
with poverty. AS for the Germans
themselves. our investigators have
showered Washington with evidence
that TeUton miseries are mainly of
local manufacture for foreign con-
sumption.
Expert Says Berlin Can Pay.
One Of the most graphic observa tons
on that score comes from Edward 6;
lowry, Mr.. Lowry was German am
hassador" At London during the years
between 1914 and 1917. when the United
States had charge Of German diplomatic
interests in Great Britain. Writing
afr d careful survey Of German con-
ditlonS, Mr.. Lowry, an economic special
list said:
What the Germans can nav is an
open question, but that Germans don't
Vsnt to pay anything is certain. Any
Ole who visits Germany and makes a
patient inquiry must come to the con-
ciusion That the Germans have never
made any honest effort TO meet the
penalties imposed upon them by the
peace treaty. Their effort from the be
ginning has been to protract. to evade.
70 delay. to escape payment of as much
OF the reparationS as possible. This at
titudc many Of them will concede' pri-
Nately.
Facts Before Coolidge.
Tho Coolidge administration has had
official American facts and figures at its
command to show that Germany is far
removed from "a state of bankruptcy
Few Americans rea lie that trade be
tween the United states and Germany
during the past two years, and I'D to the
present month. has steadily been resun-
ing pre-war, normal dimensions. We arc
selling TO Germany land getting paid
for} S3o0,0o6.oh0 worth of American
goods per annum. Germany is selling us
from S1o.00o,000 to $4,000, 900 worth
Of her wares a month, or an annual
average of $3.50. 000. 900 to S1SG 900 900.
which approaches pre-war peak figures
Germany's sales to the United States
during the first six months of 1928
showed A. per cent increase over the
corresponding half Of 1922. The vast
bulk of American copper export goes to
Germany. Hamburg and Bremen are
recovering their oid-time maritime i'm
portance. The Hamburg American line
and North German Lloyd have bought
back from the European allies dozens of
the merchant ships handed over under
the peace treaty.
New Lines Show Gains.
The Hamburg company, which in
1871 entered into twenty-year con-
tract with the United American Lines
(the Hartman shipping group at
New York, attributes to that valuable
u In n