Evening star., 1926-08-22
European Resentment Against the u. s.

to be trying to do with the dollar what Bis
marCk did with Moltkes armies, what the con-
querors Of Napoleon did with their successful
coalition forces
Now. it is perfectly true that most of the
suggestions made by Americans Of all sorts
have no political background. Senator Borah
who has done much harm to the United
States in Europe the Kaiser did to Germany
in his time and has created precisely the same
conception of national Imperialism. is a moral
list, not an imperialist. He does not want to
disarm France to weaken her to the advan
tage Of the United States. He wants to dsarm
the world because he believes disarmament is
a step toward peace all around.
* X X X
OF ALI the suggestions, admonitions and
solemn warnings which flow from our shores
to French and have been flowing for 10 years
nearly all have their origin in moral, not po
litca), circumstances. All this American de-
lusion that have mission to reform and
reorganze the world would be harmless and
awaken only goodnatured contempt on the
other side of the Atlantic were it not for the
fact that the war has changed our situation
and the debts have given a weapon OF CO.
erCiOn.
AS long as the United States. or, more ex-
actly. Americans of all ranks and conditions,
discussed disarmament in the abstract and de-
nounced European manners and morals as es
says in ideaism and eloquence. Europe. in
general. and France. in particular, remained
cold But in the last 10 years, by reason Of
the enhanced international position which the
war gave us, by of the power which
prosperity, as contrasted with European
misery, has bestowed upon us, by reason of
the debts which Europe incurred during the
war. our comment has been viewed In new
light. We have seemed. and We continue to
seem. to be acting with the conviction that we
can use new power to coerce.
X X X X
I have spoken of France because French
resentment is most familiar to us. but | shall
never forget the passionate resentment in the
tone of an eminent Italian public man, friend
of Mussoni. who demanded to know by what
right we mingled the question of ltalys debts
and Fascsm in comment upon the debt
settlements, comment made In the United
States Senate. You have made us pay all
that you believe could pay, you have held
us to the doctrine of the capacity to pay. Well,
we have signed, we have submitted. BY what
right do you then criticize our form OF govern
ment? When you take all man has do you
still retain the right to criticize the color OF
his coat? Because we owe money do you have
the right to interfere in our form of govern
ment? How can you explain the refusal OF
some Senators to approve the debt settlement
because of our form of government? What OF
the proposal to give us better terms II we
change our systems to suit American notons?'
To say that the French angry with us,
that all Europe Is 1nQlSndnI at US, anu WOlS Sc
because we are prosperous and they are poor,
because the debtor is always bitter against the
creditor is to miss the deeper foundations or
European resentment. What arouses Europe
from Lands End to the Trails is the unceasing
effort of our public men and our press to regu
late European affairs and interfere in the do
mestic policies Of European countries because
they money.
X X X X
The net effect of some years of the procla-
nation of this right has been to create in Eu-
rope something like a general suspicion. 1t is
easv enough for the American to appraise this
whole episode at it's face value, this explosion
of missionary spirit. of evangelical purposes
The men who would have France reduce Its
armies Britain liberate it's native colonies VINO
would free India and Syria, who would impose
prohibition upon Germany or Britain or France,
who would have Italy exchange her Mussolini
for some imaginary George Washington or
Abra ham Lincoln, are mainly, if not exclusive
w. moved by the highest motives.
But Europe does not believe this, never Will
believe it. For Europe this explosion of Ameri-
can interference represents definite and clear