The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-05-07
u. 8. Warns Europe
to Be Good

NV1HENEVER a new American ambassador
wv arrives in London, the Pilgrim Society
there always gives him a big dinner at which
the British premier, his cabinet and virtually
a complete Who's Who are present.
And it is equally traditional that said new
ambassador should seize the occasion to tell the
waiting world all he has on his mind.
Thus the Pilgrim dinner the other evening
to our new ambassador, Alanson B. Hough-
ton, followed the customary course of events.
Not so, however, Ambassador Houghton's
speech. Omitting the usual Glands across the
sea" stuff, he loaded a good, old-fashioned
scatterbore to the muzzle and with one blast
peppered all Europe.
"Quit threatening war, he lectured the
old world in effect, cor we won t lend yon any
more money" Literally what he told Europe
was: "The full measure of American helpful
ness can be obtained only when the American
people are assured that the time for destructive
methods has passed and that the time for peace
full upbuilding has come"
That he was speaking for President Cool
idge and Secretary of State Kellogg is regarded
as certain. 1t was less than a month ago that
AO Lo iAhoOA VIZ LII " AAA5C CIV
their hands.
Houghton's words, therefore, being official,
may have good effect. But they have one seri-
GUS weakness. American helpfulness' in the
pacifcation of Europe, thus far, has been pure
ly financial. Our highly desired and much
sought moral helpfulness has been conspicu-
ously withheld Thus, while the speech in it.
self was something Of a bombshell-because
ambassadors do not usually talk that way
the information it conveyed was much less
so. European nations, in common with the rest
of the world, already know that money stops
flowing when the security offered wavers.
Then, too, there seems to be some slight
inconsistency in our informing the nations of
Europe, on the one hand, that in trying to
reach a basis of peace, they must mutually Gas
sumo good faith" to use the ambassador
words, while on the other, before we lend any
money to them, we must have assurances"
that the borrowing nation does not mean war.
For example, when Hindenburg-now
president of the Germany which, a few years
ago, tore up a treaty guaranteeing the security
of Belgium and marched across that unhappy
country to invade France-tells France that
Germany has no warlike intentions, France
must "assume good faith" on Germany's part,
according to our formula, and forget her fears.
America, however, before she will risk any
more loans to Germany, must have "assur-
ances" that the money will not be spent on her
army. France must assume good faith" and
rely on it for her national security, while we
want assurances" before we will risk our
gold.
Such, anyway, is the view the nations of
Europe will take of our attitude. They will
say that we think more of our precious dollars
than we will~allow them to think of their ma
tional lives.
We do not believe that is the way Ambas-
sador Houghton means it at all, but rather that
Europe must honestly seek a way to peace and
to avoid war if we are to give her further fnan-
cial aid. And it comes at a good time. While
it may not be greeted with any unusually loud
huzzas over there, taking it as a whole and for