Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-19
STAND ON SECURITY
BY i. S. SEEN VITAL
America Regarded as Holding
Key to Solve Problem of
French Demands.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
staff Correspondent of The Star.

{
staff Correspondent OF The Star.
/ BY Radio to The Star.
/ LONDON, February 19.-While the
Naval Conference marks time awaiting
the outcome of the French cabinet crisis,
eyes continue turned in the direction of
America.
Naturally no official spokesman of
any delegation gives open expression to
these longings, but it is everybody's
secret that hope for success of the con-
ference is now pinned mainly on the
prospect OF inducing the United States
to cut the Gordian security" knot into
which France has contrived to tie the
situation.
One London paper blurts out the
truth this morning and declares in so
many words, everything depends on the
attitude of America" Relief appears
to be seen only in our direction because
no change in the French position is an
ticipated. Whether Tardieu returns to
the conference as his own successor or
gives way to some one else, the price of
peace at the conference remains the
same SO far as France is concerned. She
VIII either stick to her big navy pro-
gram or she will have to be bought of
with some kind of political guarantees.
Phis puts things coarsely, but puts them
correctly. No scrap of evidence is forth
coming that the British are willing to
go beyond the League Covenant, the
Locarno treaty and the Kellogg pact in
providing France with guarantees.
Failed Of Ratification.
Many authorities in London are re-
calling, amid the encircling gloom, the
previous security pact sought by France.
1t was signed jointly by Lloyd George
and woodrow Wilson the same day the
treaty at Versailles was signed, in June
1919, but Britain's ratification was made
dependent upon American ratification.
The Senate failed to ratify it and the
pact became dead.
Only super-optimists here believe the
temper of the American people, par
ticularly the temper of the Senate, has
so changed in the intervening IL years
that what was denied France then
would be given her now. 1t goes with
out saying that Stimson and his COL
leagues are lending no encouragement
TO the suggestions and establishments
OF which America is at the moment the
target. Our delegation not only con-
tatns two United States Senators. who
know whereof they speak, but happens
to be headed by the Secretary of State.
One Of the important documents
which the delegation has brought to
England is President Hoover's Armistice
day speech. 1t might have been writ
ten with the precise situation in mind
which now has arisen at the Naval Con-
ference. Americans are bringing it in
formally to the attention Of all in Lon
don whom 1t may concern. Attention
is directed particularly to the passage
wherein President Hoover discussed
what he called two roads there are
today" for peaceful settlement of in
ternational disputes and to bring about
disarmament. One of them is marked
out by the League of Nations, Hoover
said, and this road, he added. I'VE have
refused to travel" The President then
enunciated the Hoover doctrine I'VE
are confident" he said, that at least
in the Western Hemisphere public
opinion will suffice to check violence
This Is the road we propose to travel"
Depends on Public Opinion.
The Stars correspondent is enabled
to state very definitely that this will
govern the American delegations reply
when and If any proposal is forthcom-
ing that the United States should de-
tour from the road" the President laid
| down on Armistice day. Nobody in Lon
don is clearer informed as to this than
Prime Minister Macdonald. On no
point was Hoover clearer during their
! historic confabs at the White House
and at the Presidents camp on the
| Rapidan River. If Macdonald heard the
| President say it once he must have
heard him say a dozen times that the
| foreign policy of the Hoover administra-
ton is to put its faith in ''the sane
tons of public opinion" rather than
the sanctions of force contemplated by
existing security guarantees like the
covenant of the League of Nations.
Hoover personally saw to it that the
concrete avowal of this policy was
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