Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16
RADIOPHONE AS SYMBOL
OF, PEACE is QUESTIONED
Bringing Nations Closer Together Excel
lent, Provided Friendliness Goes
With 1t, Says Observer.

cooperating in a separate pact 10
preserve peace among themselves and
use their combined influence to safe.
guard world peace as far as possible
1 agree with Mr.. Hearst that the time
is ripe for this cooperation between
English-speaking nations.
l cannot and need not disguise that
European opinion is somewhat dis
turbed by recent American tendencies
and acts. For some time floods OF
idealisrn reaching Europe from the
United States seemed to rebuke us
for the national rivalries, commercial,
aggression and imperialistic ambitions
which plunged us into the World
War and prepared other bloody con
fficts for future history We were
taught to believe the United States
stood pledged in its soul to peace, al,e
bitration and disinterested action with
all other nations. ScofferS see in this
Nicaraguan treaty something like Eu-
ropean methods of foreign policy and
action. In private houses / hear re-
marks suggesting that American big
business will drag the United States
into war with Mexico, not for civi-
hzation but for commercial interests
There is also ironical comment
about that American cruiser program
at time when European disarma-
ment Is being ardently advocated by
| American idealists.
Again. public opinion in England is
| becoming slightly perturbed about
American action in China. Does the
United States, ii is asked, stand along
| side Great Britain in defending for
eign quarters at Hankow and else
where, or are they secretly pleased
that British trade is being seriously
| damaged by these attacks, inspired
| purely by bolshevik influence? Do
| American people support British
| pledges to concede many claims made
on behalf Of Chinese national pride
and independence. or are they in
favor Of some separate policy? That
IS to say, do the United States and
Great Britain stand together in this
/ chinese affair, or are they pulline
| against each other for different All.
vantages?
Urges Official Statement.
| All this is popular talk, based mainl,
| on ignorance. /, for one. cannot an
sWer those questions, but l think the
| ought to be answered by an authority
! In nigh office and in editorial chairs
I IL IS not only right but necessary
| that there should be a loyal pledge
OF cooperation and common policy in
| these world problems between us Eng
1
/ are hurrying apace and our combined
| influence is wanted now.
IhoSe transatlantic wireless tels
phone talks will not avail much if
| they merely discuss the weather
nave mentioned last upon my list Of
subjects which bring the United
states into European conversation
| their immense financial prosperity
Ihat, OF course, is always present in
] m "a O. iyaA rNf
curious, but there is a growing feel
ing among foreign observers that
American prosperity is not likely to
last in its present magnifcence and
security without a financial crisis of
hrSt magnitude. | am too little of an
economist to understand the evidence
upon which this idea is based, but il
seems TO be suggested that the people
OF the United States are living too
much on the deferred payment sys
tenn and their banks are giving TOO
| much credit without security. Be
| that as 1t may. I know something
about how the present financial and
industrial supremacy of the United
States is regarded as a new menace
to the world by nations like France
who owe money which they have to
! repay. and by Germany, who since
the war has borrowed enormously to
develop industrial activities.
States England's Position.
England. who is paying up its debt
painfully, has not this particular com
pick about the United States, but
will be frank in saying England also
is not certain that the United States
1 Is to be relied upon In all parts of the
world to stand side by side with other
English-speaIing nations when her
own national interests and commercial
ambitions seem to dictate a policy of
competition or diplomatic rivalry.
No doubt the people of the United
| States have exactly the same feeling
about Great Britain, amounting some
times to busi1eSs suspicion or ironi-
] cal comment.
| 1t is for this reason that one would
| like those telephone conversations To
| be heart-to-heart talks, and Mr.
Hearst's idea is TO be put into action.
| Quick communication win not be a
! blessing unless il helps the English
| speaking people to understand each
others spirit. and more so when they
ring each other up by wireless.
Copyright 1927