The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-01-24
b. S. Awaits
Opportunity
To Mediate
Any Action, However, Must
Be Based on Reasonable
Chance for Success, Word
From Washington.
Fearful Of Complications

Washington. Jan. 23.--American eff
forts to be helpful to Europe in the
reparations crisis can be predicated
only on q reasonable anticipation of
, success. 1t was reiterated today by
an authorized spokesman for the
Washington government. There is no
present ground for anticipating that
any move the United States could
make as benevolent bystander
would be welcome. it was said.
The Washington government fully
recognizes the tense feeling In France
and Germany that occupation of the
Ruhr has produced. 1t was again
declared that the American desire is
for adjustment of the reparations pay
ment problem on a sound economic
basis. But it is clearly indicated in
the reports OF American officials
abroad that the opportunity for
American Intervention to smooth out
the tangle has not presented itself
and that ill-considered action by the
United States might easily arouse
cnmlties that would do harm instead
IF good.
No Chance for Conference.
A clear cut picture OF the course of
events was drawn to show that there
has been no moment since the fail
ure of the allied preniers last August
To agree on "A reparations program
when the Washington government
might have moved directly with any
hope of success.
Through the discussions that fol
lowed, it was said, up to actual mill
tary occupation of the Ruhr by
France. it was thought an economic
conference In Brussels might be call
cd but the whole field of possibilities
for such a conference was explored
by Belgium. il was said, without re-
vealing conditions that warranted call
ing 1t, and no other power could do
so.
1 Yet is was recalled that the pos.
sibility Of, ultimate failure OF the pre-
miers to reach an agreement had not
been lost sight of in Washington and
that Secretary Hughes had taken the
only course administration officials
could see when he suggested that in
ternational financiers be called in to
advise the allied statesmen.
Didn't Contemplate Invasion.
1t was also pointed out that even
after the premiers assembled in Paris
this month. only to agree to disagree.
it was not until the French plan Of
occupation of the Ruhr was handed to
the Germans that ii was known to the
world that French troops were sent
in force into the region to be occu-
pied. Even Italy, 1t was added, very
evidently agreed to the French pro-
gram on the understanding that no
more than civil supervision was to be
attempted.
In answer to suggestions that the
United States protest against the
French course, it was pointed out
that not alone was no direct Ameri-
can interest involved. but that there
was no foreknowledge of the nature
OF the occupation. And. 1t was added,
from the administration viewpoint,
that 10 protest now could not fail to
be viewed by France as calculated to
stiffen German resistance. which
must arouse French resentment and
impede any future American effort
toward helpfulness.
Would Block Success.
In the same way. 1t was said, any
action by the United States toward
mediation that seemed to recognizes
any basis Of right behind the French
pccupatioD must be reSepfed in Cor,
many and block the success of pacific
endeavors from that side. The fail
= ure of Italy's move to bring about
such mediation. it was added. was d
lesson that could not be ignored.