Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
WILL u. S. BE DRIVEN
FROM HER ISOLATION?
Parallel With Great Britain's Position
Notwithstanding in Europe.
International Debt Phase.

The trouble is that they have not
been understood and that the action OF
the United States has been interpreted
as vacillating and backsliding instead
of as the normal working of her demo-
cratic method. If Europe had realized
at the beginning that President Wilson
was not, like other members Of the
peace conference, plenipotentiary, but
a provisional spokesman who had to
persuade his countrymen before his
proposals became operative, much
trouble would have been avoided. But
this is the kind of knowledge which,
though accessible in books, is only ap-
pretended by experience, and TO this
Hard to Understand.
And let me be frank and say that the
American attitude on foreign affairs is
extremely difficult for European to
understand. and perhaps is only 20 be
understood in America. Had there been
in England anything like the same
course of events as in America in 1919
and 1920, foreign affairs would at this
moment have been the burning contro-
versy in our politics. We should GER
tainly not have accepted one election
as decisive on the League issue. Parties
would have been divided on it, public
men would have been all over the coun-
try debating with each other the vital
question of joining or not joining the
League. The newspapers would have
been full of it and taken their stand on
one side or the other But in America
the question simply fades out Of the
scene after one election. The League
ceases to be an issue and becomes the
fad of few Jealous people or associa-
tions. and the American part in the
war is thought of as an isolated incident
in history which need not recur. Amer
leans still speak of mon intervention
as if it were entirely within their own
discretion and control, though IL years
ago they found themselves under
compulsion to intervene.
Question as to Debts.
The same remoteneSs from Europe
hnds expression in the American atti-
tude on international debts. To most
Americans these debts are simple
commercial transaction. The Euro
peans, they say, hired the money and
there can be no question about their
duty to repay it. They greatly profted
by American intervention and it Is al
together exorbitant of them to expect
that America shall cancel their debts
as we'll
Great Britain has earned good marks
by accepting this view of the case,
and the doctrine of the common
cause" which some of the other debtors
have advanced as reason for relief Is
thought by Americans to be mere eva
sion. The United States judges itself
to have behaved generously in asking
so little, and, as Mr.. Mellon insists can
make no terms with the French view
that debts and reparations are bound
no together. Yet to the European it
seems evident that the two things are
inextr;cably entangled with each other
and that sooner or later the fact viii
have to be recognized. For example,
find a strong opinion among American
financiers who have studied the ques-
ton that the Dawes scheme for Ger
man reparations will have TO be revised
downwards. that a total far short of
French expectations will have TO be.
fixed and that the annuitieS viii have
proportionately to be reduced. But II
so the position may easily beat all
events as Europe sees it-tflat the
United States will be receiving the
whole of what Germany pays. leaving
France nothing for the reconstruction
of her devastated areas and the other
allies nothing to set against their costs
and losses.
Would Keep Rhineland.
Could such situation arise without
seriously disturbing the politics of Eu-
ropep Europeans know that it could
not. but Americans. so far. seem not to
have thought of 1t. We look down q
vista which leads straight to that most
difficult of our questionable evacua-
ton of the Rhineland-and We see 1t
4. LN% -
the German payments have to be re-
duced and the United States makes no
proportionate allowance to its debtors,
it is highly probable that some of them
will declare that the treaty OF YER
saiiles has not been fulfilled and that,
consequently, the pledge of the Rhine
land must be retained Thus the deci-
sion which is above all others impor-
tant for the peace Of Europe may Dc
In American hands.
We British take the simple view that
We backed the bill and that. when we
are called upon to paw. there Is no more
to be said. and we shall hold 10 that.
But our knowledge of Europe tells US
that this question Is deeply embedded
In politics. and we hope we do not give
offenSe in suggesting TO you that you
may find the policy of hands-on Eurone
rather difficult to reconcile with the
position of universal creditor. Inc
absentee creditor who takes no interest
IN his debtors has not vet appeared IN
the world. but 1t seems to US that his
position might be even more dtmcut
than that of absentee landlord.
After talking to Americans have
great faith that they will decide these
questions wisely and generously when
they realize what is involved in them
but the absence of debate or speculs-
ton about them is one OF the things
which mark for en- EngliShman the
difference between the American ana
the European atmosphere, Americans
are all the time increasing their COM
mitmentS in Europe. and in the aggre-
gate they probably have greater inter-
eSts there than any European nations
and vet immense numbers OF them
seem to be convinced that Europe Is
no concern of theirs,