Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-06
OFFICIALS SILENT
ON GILBERT VISIT
Agent General Said to 0p-
pose Public Discussion Now
on Preparations Questions.

S. Parker Gilbert, agent general fol
reparationS under the Dawes plan, late
Yesterday conferred with Secretary OF
the Treasury Mellon and Secretary OF
State Kellogg jointly at the State De-
partment following earlier conferences
during the day with Mr.. Mellon and
Assistant Secretary of State William
r. Castle, jr.
Mr.. Gilbert let it be known that he
will see President Coolidge and very
likely President-elect Herbert Hoover
before ne leaves Washington, probably
three days hence for New York, whence
he again sails for Europe.
No information was forthcoming from
either Mr.. Gilbert or others last night
regarding the exact purport of these
conferences, but with the approach OF
the meeting of experts under auspices
of the league to revise the Dawes plan
schedule and to determine what Ger
many shall pay, the activity of Mr. Gill
bert here is certain to be interpreted
in Europe as significant of greater in
terest IN Washington than previously
indicated
1t already is known that Owen d
Young of New York and jeremiah
Smith. jr, of Boston are to be formally
invited to act as American experts or
the league committee by the allies anc
Germany and will accept.
Is Accompanied BY Morrow.
During a meeting of more than two
hours yesterday morning with Assistant
Secretary of State Castle, Mr.. Gilbert
was accompanied by Ambassador
Dwight w. Morrow. an old friend and
like Mr.. Gilbert, recognized expert on
world financial matters.
In addition to his conferences with
Government officials here, Mr.. Gilbert
is the house guest of Secretary Mellon
during his stay in Washington.
ANY attempt to interpret into MS
presence here or his meetings yesterday
and scheduled conference with the
President and President-elect an indl-
cation that the United States Govern
ment is preparing to accept the Euro
pean thesis that a general revision OF
German reparations must go hand II
hand with revision of interallied wal
debt agreements would run counter tc
repeated public utterances of both
President Coolidge and Secretary KEEL
logg.
Both of these administration chiefs
are on record that the United States i
only incidentally interested in repara
tions-a European problem which TIT
Europeans should themselves work ou
and that reparations has not TIT
slightest connection with european
obligations to this country.
Seeks American Attitude.
Eliminating therefore the administra
ton interest in any effort to revise debt'
and reparations jointly at Geneva, OBJ
servers were obliged last night to assume
that Mr.. Gilbert is merely explaining
the general situation as it concerns
reparations to Government officials pos
sibly in view of a decision at Genev:
to attempt flotation of German rail
way and industrial bonds in this coun
try, permitting Germany to make larg'
cash payments to her debtors.
AS an official responsible to the Repa
rations Commission only, it also wa
conjectured that he sought informa
ton from the Government here as Il
the attitude which the American eX
perts might follow in their joint labor
with European experts at Geneva. II
his unofficial capacity, 1t was surnised
Mr.. Gilbert might well confer with thu
equally unofficial experts once this Gov
ernment's views are defined.
In the opinion of Mr.. Gilbert, ex
pressed at the State Department yes
terday, he expects the League com
mittee of experts to meet in Europe
not later than the first week in Febru
airy. He stated that he expected t
appear before the committee as an ex
pert witness but nothing more and wa
not interested in the selection of thu
American members of this COMMITTEES