The Washington times., 1924-08-27
BROKEN BY
i. s., HIS
CLAIM
Foreign Relations Now Loom
- Big Issue in the Presi-
DENTAL Campaign
BY WILLIAM HARD.

/
One Of the great quarrels already
beginning to mark this Presi-
dential campaign is based On the
relations which exist Cor which
should, or should not, exist) be-
tween this country and Europe.
The Democratic candidate, Johr
w. Davis, is perhaps even more
Interested in changing the foreign
policy of this country than he is
in changing It's domestic policies.
At Clarksburg, when he made
his speech Of acceptance, he was
extremely grieved because in the
courst Of shortening the delivery
Of that speech for his radio audi.
ence he had to leave out some Of
the sentences that he had written
on foreign affairs.
Davis Criticizes Hughes.
Mr.. Davis profoundly believes that
the European policy of Charles
Evans Hughes has been highly
detrimental not only to Europe but
also to the United States. He will
ernphatically press that view dur.
Ing the course of the campaign.
Meanwhile. a view equally critical
Of Mr.. Hughes, although drawn
from reasons entirely different from
those Of Mr.. Davis, will be pressed
by the new La Toilette party.
Mr.. Davis thinks that we de-
serted our friends in Europe and
that we ought to go back there and
take an official and responsible part
in the League of Nations, and also
In the reparation commission and
in the other bodies erected for ad.
ministering the Treaty. of Versailles.
Mr.. La Toilette, on the other
hand, thinks that in the Treaty of
Versailles the allies and Mr.. Wood.
row Wilson broke the fourteen.
point promise which they had
made. to Germany when the Ger.
mans laid down their arms, and
therefore the La Toilette platform
declares that the American Gov
Europe to get the Treaty Of Yer.
tanned, but rewritten and broken
mp. So
Attacks u. s. Desertion.
Mr.. Davis attacks our alleged de-
0ertion of France and Britain. Mr..
La Toilette attacks our alleged be-
trayal Of Germany. Mr.. Hughes
maintains that we have done our
neutral and impartial best for all
of them together.
It is to be noted accordingly that
the debate this year regarding Eu
ropean affairs is quite different in
its character from the debate which
was conducted four years ago in
the struggle between Mr.. Harding
and Mr.. Cox.
Then the question essentially was
Shall we touch Europe or shall we
leave 1t alone?
This year the question is: Which
Of three different ways Of touching
Europe is the right one?
The ways proposed by Mr.. Davis
and by Mr.. La Toilette have not
yet been tried and discussion OF
them falls accordingly within the
province of the editorial writer and
not within the province Of the re-
porter.
Accomplished by Hughes.
The way followed by Mr.. Hughes
on the other hand, is an accom-.
plished fact. 1t is the thing done
the thing admired and applauded
the thing hated and condemned. II
Is the existing gate to whatever the
future may hold. Yet it is not in
truth really known to the Ameri
can public.
Mr.. Hughes, as he amply demon.
strated in his campaign against Mr..
Wilson In 1916, has sometimes ex'
tremely meager talents in appealing
to the public at large.
AS Secretary Of State, he has
shown immense charm personally
and at the same time a certain con.
siderable secretiveness and mysteri.
BUSINESS officially.
When frank conversations with
Senators would have shown them
that he was pursuing toward Eu.
rope a perfectly definite policy, he
has allowed them to think that he
was pursuing no policy at all.
If Senators have been in the dark,
still more have the voters in gen
eral been in the dark, regarding
Mr.. Hughes driving motives and
ultimate purposes.
The aim Of these articles is to
set forth the story Of Mr. Hughes
policy toward Europe without feel.
Ing or expressing any conclusions
rs to whether its results have been
the best that could have been OBJ.
tanned or not.
One Central Thread.
One central. thread runs through
It all.
Mr.. ENTHUSIASTICALLY or wrongly
has felt that American intervention
in Europe is accompanied by the
danger that Europe in the end
might hate the intervenor and that
thus the good will and peace Of the
world, instead Of being advanced,
might be actually hindered.
Mr.. Hughes retains recollections