Evening star., 1924-10-22
DAWES A|DLAUDED.
BY British ENVOY.
Europe Is More Hopeful Than
in Ten Years, Declares
Sir Esme Howard.
Sr tho Associated Press.


than there has been for 10 years at
least, if not almost from time I'M
memorial" Sir Esme Howard, Brit
ish Ambassador to the United States,
declared in an address here today at
a luncheon of the New YORK bodro
of Trade and Transportation.
Speaking upon the general sup1ect
of economies in international polltcs
and international trade as a FACTOR
for peace, the Ambassador also re
ferred TO past activities of certain con-
cession hunters and company promot-
ers In world fields. which sometimes
have threatened the peace OF the
world He declared that there is only
one way to eliminate this possible
danger to peace and good Will, ana
that is by the strict application OF
the American doctrine of the open
door
Learned From Dawes Report.
eff there is one thing we have
learnt during the last few strenuous
and terrible years he said. 1t Is
the necessity OF recognizing the
value of crurs mics in international
politics Nothing has. l believe. ever
brought this SO home to the "erll
as the struggle over the Dawes repa-
ration scheme which brought the
whole question out of the murky
atmosphere of sentiment and politics
down onto the bedrock of hard eco
nomic fact and proved to those in
terested that 1t is. when you come TO
dealing in sums required for repara-
tions. almost as difficult to receive
them without upsetting the economic
apple cart as to pay them.
now there are many who be-
iieve that the payment of the sums
fixed by the Dawes plan may produce
economic convulsions in the creditor
countries. That is point Of view
which even the greatest financiers at
the Paris conference barely limited at.
but now the doctors are agreed that
a surfeit of gold or goods may prove
as indigestible to nation as sur
felt of mince pies. at Christmas to a
schoolboy.
Sympathy for France.
There is not one of us. i venture
to say, who did not wish from his
whole heart that France might be
completely and fully indemnif1ed for
the great and terrible losses she suf-
fered In the war, even though we
might not agree exactly as to the
methods. Well, now, thank God, we
have had the best financial doctors in
council and they have prescribed a
remedy and the different patients
have had the good sense to try the
cure prescribed!
ALREADY the effects of this are
visible, although the plan has only
actually been in operation a few days.
There is, ] venture to say, more hope.
more good will--aye, and more charity
abroad in Europe than there has been
for 10 years at least. II not almost
from time immemorial I am. I fear.
a natural optimist, but when l read
the speeches of the various statesmen
at the opening of the fifth assembly
of the League of Nations I could not
help feeling that even those who
might disagree with some OF the
things they said must be convinced
that they. ane and all. were inspired
with a genuine heartfelt desire to
establish a reign of peace on earth
and were not paying mere lip serv-
ice to the cause of peace.
Not n PropaRandist.
II hope that any reference to the
speeches at Geneva will not be con-
strued by any one as an attempt to
influence American public opinion one
way or another with reference to the
league. Every American citizen has
a right to his own opinion on this
subject, as on every other, and have
no wish to attempt to influence Amer
lean opinion on this or any other po-
litical question of the day. even If I
could do SO, which 1 do not for mo-
ment believe.
"Alf I wish to stress in saying
what I have said is that, in my opin-
ion, the statesmen of Europe have
shown by their public utterances on
that occasion that they are more ear
nest and truly determined than ever
before to lay the foundation of an en-
during peace among nations, and for
this they should have the credit.
Peace. lasting, enduring, is the
greatest objective of any statesman
today. War, modern war, can only be
destructive and ruinous in an ever
increasing degree. 1t is your busi-
ness, you who are interested in world
commerce and affairs to see to
it that your business is not such as to
endanger peace and good will among
nations.
Public Interest First.
II should like here, If I may do so
without impertinence, to quote some
words of the President of the United
States in a recent speech. He said:
at is no part OF public policy, as
the American people now conceive 1t,
to tear down legitimate and useful
business. But 1t is their firm deter
mination that business forms and
methods shall be subordinated to the
public interest
There we have it all in nutshell.
But IL business forms and methods
shall be subordinated to the public
interest at home, how much more i'm
portant Is it that they should be so
subordinated abroad, where the clash
OF competition may easily produce
i'll will and serious complications with
other countries and SO endanger that
will to peace which we are all agreed
should be the principal aim Of all?
Before the war, governments of
many countries were, in my humble
opinion, far too much inclined to push
with all the strength they could the
interests in foreign countries of con-
cession hunters and company pro-
moters Of their own nationality.
In fact, 1t may be said without any
exaggeration that this was one of the
principal causes, for there were many
of the late war. do not hold a brief
for any governments. To be quite frank,
think none gould afford to throw a
stone at any other In this matter. -
open Door Advocated.
Certain concession hunters have
no hesitation in getting up news
paper and political agitations to fur
ther their objects, and by doing so
to embroi1 their own country with
other friendly countries against
whom every conceivable story may
be ,invented. There is, i think. only
one way to eliminate this possible
danger to peace and good will and
that is by the strict application OF
the American doctrine of the open
ioor' 1. e., perfect equality OF oppor-
tunity to all in the matter Of these
concessions in undeveloped or semi
developed countries, and by what
may call q self DENYING aEreement