Evening star., 1929-10-06
NATIONS STRA|N|NG
AT LISTENING POST
SpecuIations on Trend of
White House Conversations
Reach Wild Intensity.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

House and became the personal guest
of Mr. Herbert Hoover, American Presi-
dent, the speculations in Washington
regarding the topics of their private
conference rose to point of wild in
tensity.
Some enthusiasts asserted they had
reason to believe that between now and
the time when Mr.. Macdonald is re-
turned to the British embassy next
Tuesday the whole character of tradi-
tional American policy in the world will
be reversed and the United States
some special commitment toward Great
Britain in relation to world peace.
Representatives here of Continental
European countries are on tiptoe to
discern the first faintest beginnings of
any such development.
Intention Disavowed.
On the contrary, it is the indubitable
intention of the United States Govern
ment to give to the Continental Euro
pean powers no reason whatsoever even
to suspect that any such development
is under way. The Hoover administra-
ton is positively known, by all unsen-
Sational observers of it. to be holding
absolutely fast to the ancient American
principle which forbids all special COM
mitmcnts to special countries across
the Atlantic. That principle is in force
in the case of Great Britain as much
as in the case of Bulgaria or of Spain.
1t can be safely stated to the diplo-
matte and journalistic representatives
of all -English-speaking countries
that the dream of any arrangement
whereby the United States would be in
volved in the defense of India or where
by Great Britain would be involved in
the defense of the Panama Canal is
dream and nothing more. Within the
British governments there lis an occa-
sional vague tendency toward some such
dream Within the American Govern
ment there Is none
Beyond Naval Reduction.
Nevertheless, it is also indubitable
that the conversations between Prime
Minister Macdonald and President Hoo
yer will go far beyond the question OF
naval reduction. That question mas
now reached a stage where the Prime
Minister and the President are jointly
willing to allow the solution OF It's re-
manning undetermined details to go to
the approaching naval conference at
London. Their exchanges Of views here
will deal. only secondarily with naval
issues. Those issues are substantially,
though not perfectly, already settled be-
tween them Their thoughts are nov
primarily directed to certain so-calieo
political issues. the settlement or the
assuagement of which would make ultl-
mate drastic disarmament more think
able and more feasible.
Chief among these issues is the free
dom of the seas" Prime Minister Mac
donald has frequently discoursed upon
it. A consideration of it has been III
effect recommended TO President Hoover
by the American Congress.
Affixed to Bill.
In the course of passing the 15-crliSer
bill last Winter the Congress aftxed 10
the pill a section five" as follows:
"First. That the Congress favors
treatv, or treaties, with all the principal
maritime nations regulating the conduct
of belligerents and neutrals IN war AT
sea. Including the inviolablllty OF pfl-
yate property thereon.
second. That such treaties DC ne
sotiated, if practically possible, prior W
the meeting of the conference on 'he
limitation of armaments IN 1881.
This section five" was the result OF
The initiative of the Presidents prlnci-
nal campaign-time senatorial oatWalh
and his principal non-campalgn-ClIiie
senatorial obstacle, Senator Wnllam Ed
gar Borah of Idaho. ,-,.;,,,
II is the belief OF both the BRUSH
and American governments tnaI sen
complete fulhllment. They agree Iiiae
n is impossible, in all the circumstances
~ all possible wars, to estaollsn Ine
cornlete "inviolability OF private prop
erty' on the public seas OF the worlo.
Blockades VisuaIized.
pr;rne Minister Macdonald has re-
nentedly stated that in the course OF
warfare designed to suppress Warlihs
o,,threak bv some nation which, Is a
GUNNER of the League of Nations,
rdon{, be necessary for other memoeIs
of the League, including Great Brieara, a
tn blockade the ports Oh tne on ..;i.
nation to prevent 1t from eailiis ;ts
itary resources for contlnuaeioii "a
attack upon the worlo S peaee; tbat
r. e known to be idle to nope tlaV
..ro.r pritain will agree in the crcun-
srances in question to allow prlvs'etiSS ~
S.rrsd munitions of war-Such as Ilie
s,,ra-fictallv innocent chemical calieo
sndiun, nitrate-to be carried IN seculs
i,v mast its fleet to go into the porCs ~
tHe warning nation on conSigliIlieino eiaeriv
a orivate firm, when it would oe olas s,ri,
apparent that the maj use ttie % frpnt.
.,aptpa r,ronertv would be on oattie ilol,..
'"s simultaneously the American oue
..sn,ant itself would be extremely re-
srctant IN allow the British melcLat mert,,
,..eri,,e tn carry similar prlvate p..o.pSSS p..
a. let nc saw. insurgents in Halti ~ ua+
;ue an American occupation Oh 'h"'
sovereign foreign country
Jefferson's Attitude.
,r,or,as Jefferson, himself one OF tne
~ awnonents of the phrase tiS
saSo,,, IF the seas" frankly admltts.o
mat numerous articles OF conlHlenorf orfare
rectlv or indirectly useful IN aaon
could properly be denounceu, 40 10. can
.rehand" and could properly oe CAP
traodF tisod from the ships of neutrals by tne
ernned vessels of belllgerenVs; - &c
III. consequence of these facts IL
.-.,.ai,,, certain that the conVersationS
tetween Prime Minister MacooLiaiut
ond PRESIDENT Hoover on the Sup!ewe
of athe. freedom of the seas VIII nav
their outcome not in any simple & ue ~
tive agreement, but IN tne layns ,oro "
foundation of future stuay anu @ eHp ~ the
,,oost rl" technical and complicated IN tne
Whole realm of thought. Their amor
~, IN this matter, will be, 1t Is pe-
i;eved not to achieve finality. whlcn Is
ironossible, but to report progress.
The other main feature OF their con-
versations Is apparent out OF the utteI Il
ances of both regarding the fesuioS IT,
the KeIlogg-Briand peace pact. Inai ina;
r,act nrovides that its signatories shaii
eeek fhe solution of all international
Sisnutes @ by "pacific means" It does d9s
not however. provide those means: ~
does not further define or oeSciioe
them.
No New Mechanism.
It establishes no new perfected meca.
anism of those numerous pacniT,
means means known as good Offices,
"mediation," negotiation" "concliia,,
tion" and arbitration" 1t leaves az
such perfecting of the technique OF
Oe-Oe- .rriAn cnala Outside OI