Evening star., 1928-11-18
BY WILLIAM HARD.

The position of the United States in
the world has again become suddenly
the central subject of the National
Capital.
Almost everybody here realizes that
the United States is passing into a dis
tinctly new phase of international rela-
tionships, fraught with immense pos
sibilitieS of welfare or Of woe; and al
most everybody Is seeking the clue to
the solutions likely to be attempted oy
Herbert Hoover.
The inward drift Of development in
Washington. in governmental circles, IN
diplomatic circles, and in the new atti-
tude assumed by Mr.. Hoover, seems to
this writer to indicate clearly that In
the immediate future we are going to
have considerably less stress on treaties
and formal commitments and consider
ably more stress on personal under
standings and tacit unwritten practical
working arrangements with foreign
countries.
The insufiiciency of treaties Is thor
oughly realized by Mr.. Hoover and con-
stitutes the prime reason for his trip
through Latin America. He could have
stayed In Washington as spectator OF
the historic American Conference
on arbitration and conciliation which
will meet here next month. That con-
ference presumably will write the most
advanced arbitration and conciliation
treaties that ever have adorned the
labors of the Pan-American Union. Mr..
Hoover preferred to 60 to Latin America
itself In order to give 1t the honor Of
his personal presence and In order to
receive in return the honor OF per-
sonal acquaintance with its statesmen
Deep disillusionments with old
methods and determined departures
into new methods are evidenced by tnat
decision and will in all probability soon
become manifest not only in our deal
ings with Latin America, but also in our
dealings with Europe.
This next month In Washington will
mark the end of the recent era OF ex-
ceSsively optimistic reliance upon
treaties as guarantees Of friendship be"
tween nations.
washington has now learned that no
treaty by itself will settle our basic
ouarreIs with Latin America and that
no treaty by itself will settle our basic
ouarrels with Europe.
Next month the Kellogg BRAND out.
lawry of war" treaty will be presented
to the Senate, and nevertheless the SEN
ate will simultaneously be filled with
the most emphatic effort in our MS
tory to assert q militant equality OF
fleets and of sea power with the British
Empire. The maritime rivalry between
the British Empire and the United
States has been attacked by two rem
edies OF the treaty sort. Both have now
failed.
The rivalry in question continues un-
abated in spite Of the "outlawry" treaty
and also In spite of all efforts, prolonged
and arduous, to arrive at a limitation
treaty" defining In words the cruiser
strength which shall be permitted to
the two navies. This writer, out OF
many conversations with British ano
with American experts, Is willing to as
sert 1t as a fact that the formal defining
of that strength In terms satisfactory 10
both countries Is unthinkable and I'M
possible,
The reason is too clear for denial. We
Americans believe. rightly and unshak-
ably, that we need 10,000-ton eight
inch gun cruisers, and not smaller. ones.
The British believe, rightly and un-
shakably, that for their special pur..
poses OF commerce protection and OF