Evening star., 1928-12-26

It would be In strict accordance with
the eternal fitness Of things II Charles
Evans Hughes were to be the CHIEF
American representative on the new
German reparationS commission. Almost
exactly five years ago to the week, IL
was Hughes, then Secretary OF State,
who in an address before the American
Historical Association at New Haven
suggested that allied Europe and Ger
many come together and thresh out the
problem keeping them on tenterhooks
The result, six months later, was the
Dawes plan. The United States par
ticipation then, as now, Is "unomcial."
Actually, it is oficial, or what Eu-
ropeanS call "Semi-official," or "demi-
semi-official." President Coolidge lays
down the condition that the reparation
powers themselves shall designate their
American coadjutorS. AS far as the
public will ever know, they will do So
In fact. the selections will be made
behind the scenes at Washington and
the foreign capitals in complete
harmony and cooperation. Modern
diplomacy works that way.
** X
Reparations will be the first major
foreign affair to torment the Hoover
administration. The incoming President
is no stranger to its thorns. AT least
two of the men who helped to 1ashlol
the Dawes plan are intimate friends OF
his--Owen p. Young of New York and
Henry M. Robinson Of California.
Young is almost certain to be drafted
for the new commission. AS member
of our World War Debt Commission,
the President-elect frequently bumped
I'M against the European notion that
reparations and war debts are blood
relations. Along with Mellon, Hughes,
kellogg, Smoot and Burton-fellow
war-debt commissionerS-Hoo sees
no connection between what Germany
owes her conquerorS and what the lat
ter owe us. Probably reparations Will
first confront Hoover in the guise OF the
much-discuSsed scheme to CONNER
cialize" Germany's obligations. BY that
is meant a plan to convert them into
bonds for sale to foreign investors
thinks that would simply transfer
reparations from Germanys shoulders
to those of the United States.
This country stole a march on Great
Britain by preceding her in recogni-
ton of Nationalist China. But John
Bull has Just put one over Uncle Sam
by being the first to fire presidential
salute Of 81 guns to the Nanking gov
ernment. When the guns Of the
cruiser Suffolk the other day belched
forth that honor, they paid the formal
ity-loving Chinese an ineStimable dis
tinction. It rebounds all the more to
British benefit because America happens
to be Squabbling with China over a
wi Nf
settlement for outrageS on Yankee life
and property in Marking last year, we
demanded that China should fire a
salute In our honor. The fireworks
have not as yet gone off. The cele-
brated Oriental issue of saving face"
is involved. II the Chinese refuse to
salute the Stars and Stripes. we lose
face" BY doing deafening difference
to Chinas flag, Britain gains face"
Face value means something on yon
side of the globe.
There is in Washington over the holi-
| days a young Westerner, George w. Ma
as future chief engineer Of the Boulder
Dam project Few men know the great
Colorado River development scheme so
thoroughly as Malone. At present he
| is State engineer Of Nevada and a men,
ber Of its public service commission.
Long before Boulder Dam became an
act of Congress, Malone was secretary
! of the Colorado River Commission COM
prising the seven States Of the basin.
He spent many months at Washington
while Boulder Dam was before Congress.
Malone came out of the World War
| with a brilliant service record, though
previously he'd already shone as a
fighting man In the capacity Of amateur
middleweight champion Of the Pacific
Coast. Among Malone's other honors
are the Nevada department commander
ship of the American Legion and the ma
tional vice commandership conferred
upon him at the recent convention in
/ San Antonio.
X
Holiday wisecrack current among the
! dinner-dance set popularity known as
the poultry Of motion: What great