Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02
Offers Through Gibson to End
Dangerous Franco-ItaIian
Rivalry.
MAY ENTER CONSULTATIVE
: PLAN IN PEACE INTEREST
Parity" Is Chief Dificulty-Four-
Party Treaty Seen as Pos
sibility.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY Radio to The Star.
PARIS, France, November 1.-The
United States is making an energetic
eleventh-hour Intervention for Euro
pean peace and world disarmament. 1t
has offered, through Hugh S. Gibson,
Ambassador to Belgium, its good Offices
to bring a happy conclusion to the
long-standing and dangerous Franco
Italian naval rivalry.
Where Great Britain in seven months
of almost continuous efforts has failed,
our diplomacy still courageously hopes
to succeed. Although the difficulties
are, If anything, greater than ever,
these hopes seem not wholly unwar-
ranted. Great Britain is supporting
us, but the initiative continues in our
hands.
Events are moving fast, and already
vast possibilities are mooted. One of
these is a short-term agreement on
figures, leaving the parity issue to be
settled later. Another, which has been
mentioned particularly in Washington
dispatches to the London press, Is that
in case general disarmament proves
practical the United States may be
willing to enter a consultative pact
with ether leading powers in the inter-
ests of world peace.
May Extend LOcarnO Terms.
Both of these proposals came up
during the London Naval Conference
and fell through for one reason or an
other. Another possibility Is a four
party treaty emitting Italy. 1t is said
that Great Britain may be willing to
grant an extension of the terms of the
Locarno pact to the North Sea area,
thus insurance France and incidentally
Germany against naval attack in this
region and supposedly enabling a cor
responding reduction in the French
figures.
All three of these suggestions are be-
lieved to contain interesting potential
tiles. Is it worth noting that this Is
the third step taken by the United
States in the last few weeks in the
supposed direction of European peace,
following the recent international ten
sion and disarray?
First was the $125,o0O,0 900 credit by
American banks to Germany, which,
it is conceded, has done more than
anything else to strengthen the presen;
German government against the as
SaulJS OF the nlIleIltcS nlAO HAS NOiAi
munists.
Second was the formal refusal Of
President Herbert Hoover and Secre-
tary of State Henry L. Stimson to en-
courage the Germans in the idea OF a
moratorium or revision of the Young
plan or war debts in any near future
Our viewpoint seems to be that sucn
a move in present circumstances would
merely be an additional cause OF inter
national disturbance and therefore
highly inopportune.
Our friendly intervention in the
Franco italian difficulties. is said to be
due partly to the fact that Great Brit
ain has informed us that 1t Will be
obliged to invoke the escape clause OF
the London treaty and build beyond
the treaty figures If France and Italy
keep on building and partly to the ad-
ministrationS desire TO achieve some
striking success in foreign policy, out
mainly to Mr.. Hoover's firm belief thai
the furtherance of peace through dis
armament will be the surest way &c
bring back better economic conditions
to sorely tried world.
Secrecy Being Observed.
Although the strictcst secrecy is being
observed in the negotiations, Ambas-
sador Gibson seems to have seen Pre-.
mier Andre Tardieu OF France anc
Philippe Berthelot, general secretary Of
the French foreign office, on Monday
and Tuesday and then left quietly FOL
Rome. On Wednesday the British Am
bassador seems to have seen M. Berthe
lot. On Thursday Mr.. Gibson, in Rome
saw Foreign Minister Dino Grandi. and
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