Evening star., 1924-01-17
FULL CONFIDENCE
ACCORDED EXPERTS
Dawes Mission Considered
"UnofficiaI" in Name Only
by Mr.. Coolidge.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Europe's economic future, and par
French franc, Is .occasioning much
more concern here than appears on
the surface.
President Coolidge has gone out OF
his way several times to make it
clear that Owen D. Young, Charles G.
Dawes and Henry M. Robinson, who
are serving IS expert advisers to the
reparations commission, have no OFF,
cIal connection with the United States
government, but the purpose of that
declaration Is merely to prevent the
Hiram Johnsons and Medill McCor-
micks from charging that the Amcri-
can government is meddling in Eu-
rope once more.
The greatest interest prevails here
in what Messrs. Dawes, Young and
Robinson are doing and may do. 1t
Is no exaggeration to say that the
government here has so much con-
fidence in the ability of these three
men that it is hoping the entire rep
aration problem may be solved ulti-
mately as a result of their efforts.
Confidence In Young.
of President Coolidge. The President
has unlimited confidence in Mr.
Young's judgment. When Mr.. Cool
idge entered the White House one Of
his first talks on foreign affairs was
with Mr.. Young. who had just re-
Owen Young says will have all the
weight of an official Recommendation
whenever 1T is made.
1t is important to bring out this re-
lationship because the denial of OFF,
cial connection is intended for home
oon fe-
ally true, but the governments in
terest in the mission of the three ex-
perts Is as great, If not greater,
than 1t would be If the mission were
official
For one thing, neither the President
nor Secretary of State Hughes is send
ing instructions to the three experts.
They are working Independently The
chances are that If they had been
officially appointed the government
here would have felt a measure Of
responsibility for every move made
and every statement uttered. AS it
Is, the experts are free to express
themselves-and Mr. Dawes already
has done so-in a fashion that is un-
restraine dby diplomatic etiquet or
governmental instruction.
Everything that the three Ameri-
can experts do Is. of course, officially
reported by Col. J. A. Logan, who
represents the United States govern
ment in the capacity of observer" at
the reparations commission meetings.
He has an office with the delegates
from other countries and has at his
command all the data which the
other nations have collected with re-
spect to reparations. Since his busi-
ness is to report to the Department of
State on all things happening in the
offices of the reparations commission,
he reports in the natural course on
the work of the American experts. He
also places at their disposal any I'm
formation" he may get either from
Washington or elsewhere.
Mr.. Coolidge has found 1t necessary
United States plans further participa-
tion in European affairs. He does
not understand that America is par
ticipating at the moment in Europe's
problems. So far as the government
is concerned, it is a helpful and COLI
lateral influence only in the settle
ment of what it regards primarily as
a business and economic problem.
The fall in the value of the French
franc has stimulated the theory that
France now will be more tractable in
considering the economic rather than
the political phases of the reparations
controversy.
While this kind of a development
would be welcomed, the depreciation
In French currency has, on the other
ing the relationship of all the cur
rencies of Europe to each other, the
fear is growing that collapse OF
foreign exchange may bring cur
tailment in purchases from Amer
lea on the part of Europe and ad
ersely affect Americas economic
situation, especially as the next presi
Dental campaign approaches. Con-
versely, an early settlement of the
reparations question would be ex-
pected to start foreign exchange up
ward and bring increased buying from
American producers. The three ex-
but they have in their hands an in
fiuence which keeps the American
government very close to their work
and exceedingly anxious for their
success No mission, unofficial or
official, in recent years has developed
80 much real Importance in govern
ment circles here.
Copyright, 1923)