Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-25
Secretary Stimson's Tasks.


rotary of state in President Hoover's
cabinet. He will take charge of our
foreign affairs at a moment when they
are serious, though not critical, in more
than one direction.
The sinking of an alleged British
rum-r running schooner by United
States Coast Guard patrol boat of the
Louisiana shore has become a f1rst-class
diplomatic incident within the past
forty-eight hours. One British life was
lost and crew of British seamen,
landed at New orleans in irons, is now
under Federal arrest there. Ticklish
issues are here involved. Secretary
Stimson will be called upon to show
his diplomatic mettle literally before
the ink on his commission is dry.
The Mexican revolution remains To-
Called within its own turbulent area,
but the proximity of American territory
conjures up the incessant peril of bor-
der clashes which might lead to COM
plications. Rebel bands have already
taken refuge on Texas soil. American
arms. under Government license, are
reaching the Mexican authorities. Citi-
zens of the United States, official and
private, are domiciled at numerous
points within the embattled region.
Damage to their property and endan-
gering of their lives are almost inevita-
BILE. An American aviator in the Mex
lean governments service has been cap
tured by the rebels. There is no end
to the number of possibilities which
might suddenly compel the United
States to abandon the role of disin-
terested bystander in Mexicos civil war
AS to European affairs, Secretary
Stimson prospectively will shortly have
to mold the American attitude toward
the decisions taken by the German rep
aration experts, now winding up their
deliberations in Paris. They have pro-
posed a Bank of Nations" for the ham
ding of 1.-The great new international
movement of funds created by repara-
ton and war debts" The American .
members of the experts commission, |
Messrs. Young and Morgan, joined in
submitting the bank project to the
worlds Judgment. The views of this
country, as Europe's mortgage, will, of
course. be of paramount influence not
only with regard to the Bank Of Ma
tions" scheme, but all other plans aris-
ing from the experts deliberations.
Preparations on their face may be
purely European complication. They
are. in fact, no less Of an American
ENHANCEMENT.
Secretary Stinson comes directly to
Washington from the Far East. His
knowledge Of our Philippine problem is
personal, first-hand and up-to-date.
He is an avowed apostle of the Philip
pines right to square tariff deal at
the United States hands, and said so,
bluntly, on his arrival at San Francisco
last week.
Just before sailing for America, Col.
Stimson tarried in Japan for informal
conference with Premier Tanaka and
other Toxic authorities. Japan has an
enduring grievance against this coun-
try-our so-called exclusion law against
her nationals. Only on March % Mr..
Tsurumi, a Japanese statesman we'll
known in the United States, made a
formal demand in the Toxic Diet that
the Tanaka government should no
longer delay seeking the abolition of
the ban against Japanese immigrants
in America.
Secretary Stimson brings to the State
Department the wisdom of deep stu
dent Of international law coupled with
practical experience in administration
and diplomacy. That he will need to
draw heavily and promptly on both his
knowledge and his capacity is GER
tainty. The country welcomes him to
his burdensome tasks in confidence and
wishes him good fortune in the Shout
dering of them.