The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-21
U. s. AGENTS IN
EUROPE DEPICT
GLOOMY FUTURE
Declare Nations Refuse
to DiSGrm

TO DiSGrm
Especial to The Daily Worker)
WASHINGTON, March 10 - A pic.
ture Of European conditions so gloomy
as to appear almost startling has been
presented to President Coolidge, by
his chief advisors on foreign affairs,
II was learned to-day. With II has
gone the weII-nighl complete evapora-
ton Of any and all plans for promot.
ing a new disarmament conference,
either thru the agency Of the league
Of nations, or thru lndepe ndent action
by the United States.
Ambassador Alanson B. Houghton
and Minister Hugh s. Gibson, sum-
moned home from Europe for consul
tation with the. administration con-
corning foreign policy, are both I'M
derstood to have informed President
Coolidge and Secretary of State KEEL
| logg that it is utterly futile to expect
my real constructive step toward dis
armament in Europe at this time, or
in the near future.
An Empty Gesture.
The league council, II is understood,
viii this week so thru the motions
Of postponing the already much post
poned meeting Of the preliminary COM
mission on disarmament until next
September, when Germany supposedly
will become a member Of the league.
However, the president has been ad-
vised that even should this prepare
tory commission get together in Sep
TENDER, which is by no means assured,
there is little prospect OF any real
accomplishment because the view
points of the leaders, particularly
France and Great Britain, are so far
apart as to make agreement well-nigh
impossible.
Disagree Upon Basis.
AS a result Of recent developments
abroad, including Mussolini's fist
brandishing toward Germany, the re.
Violations of intrigues at Locarno, and
the breakup of the league council at
Geneva, it is now considered a hope
less task to get the various European
powers together on any basis of dis
armament. The principal difficulty,
IS a fundamental difference of opinion
between Britain and France as to
what should constitute the basis of
disarmament.
5rltlsh Viewpoint.
1t is the British viewpoint that any
further disarmament on land or SEE
should be in accord with the formula
followed by the Washington confer
ence, l.. e., existing strength and Wis
IDLE weapons Of warfare.
French Attitude.
Still smarting under what she con-
siders was unfair treatment at Wash
ington, French statesmen positively
reject this theory, and insist, instead,
that any further disarmament be
made on basis of the ultimate DO
tential war strength of any power.
This would include population, wealth,
industrial development, in fact any
thing that adds strength to a nation
in war time. Under such an arrange
ment, of course, Britain and the
United States would do most of the
disarming because they are the
wealthiest powers and also the most
thoroly organized industrially. The
poorer Latin countries, like France
and Italy, would do very little disarm-
ing.
Fear Another Smashup.
These two attitudes will inevitably
clash when the leagues preparatory
commission meets to lay the plans
for new conference next September.
if it actually meets at all. The only
possible result, as viewed by the
Washington government, will be an
acrimonious wrangle, charges and
counter-charges, mutual recrimination
and nothing accomplished.
League Splitting Apart.
Administration officials view with
gravest concern the present trend Of
events in Europe, which has just cul-
minated in the smashup at Geneva.
AS viewed here, the league is slowly
splitting up into factions, a process
which can only result eventually in
Europe's return to the old balance of
power idea. It was pointed out that
the clearest division thus far seen
was presented at Geneva, with the
Latin countries ranged on one side
and Germany, the Scandinavian coun-
tries and to some extent Great Brit
ain ranged on the other.
May Withdraw v. S. Aeee ptance.
The question is being seriously dis
cussed in the conferences which have
been going on since the arrival Of
Houghton and Gibson as to whether
Americas acceptance Of the league
disarmament invitation is to be con-
sidered SO elastic that it will cover
the many postponements.
President Coolidge is exceedingly
anxious, according TO reports, to pro-
mote American participation in any