Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-26
PREPARATIONS ISSUE
B0|LS UP IN EUROPE
GiIbert's Proposal Also Re-
news Question of U. S.
Relations to Debts,
ny PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

By Cable 70 The ssSr and , Ss!caF0 Daily
PARIS, December 28.-Various re-
cent events once more have brought
into the foreground the question OF
the relations of the United States
with Europe.
S. Parker Gilbert, the American
agent general for reparations pay
ments, has expressed what Is probably
the American official viewpoint--that
the total Of German reparations
should be fixed--that is to say. lower
ed to a more plausible figure-and
that foreign financial control over
Germany should be removed.
Discussion Of the Levinson plan for
a general financial settlement based
on an international loan Of six bill.
lion dollars has emphasized the re-
lation Of war debts and reparations.
Submission to France by the State
Department Of the unpublished draft
Of q new arbitration treaty, with q
preamble decrying war as an instru.
ment of policy, revives the issue Of
the attitude of the United States to.
ward the European peace movement.
Tendency to Unite.
While European countries have not
agreed among themselves. there Is no
doubt that since the war they have
been tending toward a common atu.
tude toward the United States, just
as the United States has been tending
more and more toward the view OF
Europe as q whole. Politically Europe
still Is divided, but economically 1t is
cropping slowly toward q new unity.
Against Europe. with its impover.
ished population Of E5,O00, 900, some
statesmen tend to balance the United
States, which in area Is nearly equal,
but which has only Ito, 100000 people
and a wealth and power perhaps un-
eoualed in history. Following the
World War. these two principal
groups Of the great white race have
drifted sulkiiy apart. Each group has
succeeded In thoroughly misunder-
standing the others motives.
To America, the Europeans appear
incorrigibly belligerent. petty. In
triguing and greedy, while the popular
mind of Europe caricatures the
United States az arrogant, sermon.
izing, tightflsted. imperialistic and
hypocritical. Americas disgust with
the postwar European scene was so
profound that we rejected the treaty
Of Versailles, refused to Join the
League Of Nations and would have
gone our own way In blissful isola.
ton indefinitely had this been mate.
rally possible.
Isolation Bad for All.
Europe, being in vital need Of our
money and certain of our products.
was unable to ignore US, but has been
bitterly resentful at having contin.
ually to accept our terms as the price
OF our cooperation. Anti-American
feeling. though. still latent in Great
Britain and perhaps also in France.
has largely died down. But It 10 fact
that two years ago all Europe began
suddenly to think Of ways and means
of subsisting without American aid OF
any sort. This scheme failed for the
same reason that our own isolation
schemes faiied-because the two con.
tinents need each other economically
and. moreover, are bound by ties OF
tradition, race and culture far stronger
than In commonly realized.
Most statesmen on both sides Of the
Atlantic now realize that. while Eu.
rope and America may in some re-
spects be rivals. the prosperity Of the
one In necessary to continued pros
perity OF the other. Idealism seems
to have vanished from the picture. II
we see little idealism in operation In
European politics. neither do the Euro
peans see any idealism In our policies
In Latin America, Europe and Asia.
The problem has become one of ad.
justing common political, financial and
commercial interests. We want Eu-
rope to cease squabbling. balance its
budgets. get currencies on a gold
basis. reduce ornaments, pay debts
and buy goods. Europe wants Us to
lend money. make easy financial set
Elements, lower tariffs and cooperate
in peace plans which will render re-
duction OF ornaments feasible.
Commercially. the tariff questions
on both sides OF the Atlantic still pre-