Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-16
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Much has been said as to what Signor
Dino Grand, Washington's honored
guest this week. will talk about when
he confers with President Hoover and
Secretary Stinson. Far less-indeed,
practically nothing at all-has been
heard about the things the heads of the
American Government are going to tell
1taly's accomplished foreign minister
To begin with, the issue that is para
mount in any Italo-American discus
sion is disarmament in general and the
1882 Geneva Disarmament Conference in
particular. The two countries see eye to
eye on that issue. Signor Grandi will
be able to consider it with Messrs, Hoo
yer and StimSon on mutually sympa-
thetic basis. 1t will be if and when
Mussolini's young adjutant brings up
the other issue bulking heavily in Italys
concerns-revision of the World War
treaties-that the minds which will
meet in Washington tremendously on
disarmament will part company, and
part it promptly and completely. The
United States, Signor Grandi will be in
formed, is not party to the treaty of
Versailles or the treaty of St. German
and is fully determined now as we were
when they were negotiated not to be-
come involved in the European mael-
strom which they created and today
perpetuate.
Italy'S foreign minister will hear some
equally plain speaking on the subject
OF the Geneva Conference. Signor
Grand will be told that, while America
Is earnestly anxious for the conferences
success, it is not considered to be our
baby. As it is to deal primarily with
military affairs and land forces, the
Hoover administration feels that there
Is relatively little the United States can
contribute toward concrete results.
When Brig. Gen. George S. Simonds,
who will be military adviser to the
American delegation, is called upon to
function at Geneva, he will simply re-
port that the United States Army, being
already reduced to skeletonic proper
tions, has nothing 1t can reduce. limit
or disarm. Gen. Simonds may use
President Hoover's apt statement on
that score-that Uncle Sam has lar
more policemen than soldiers.
X X X X
AS soon as Signor Grandi and his
Yankee hosts get down to brass tacKS
he will be assured in as firm tones as
the proprieties to the stranger within
the gate permit that the United States
expects Europe to settle the disarma-
ment problem over there and exclusive
" among the countries responsible Tor
the problems existence. The American
Government will not be dragged into
arguments or extraneous discussions
which it holds to be none OF our bus1-
ness. The United States will resist any
and all efforts to hornSWoggle us INTO
the job of pulling Europe's chestnuts
out of the fire. Although Franco-Ger-
man relations do not directly concern
Italy, Mussolinis emiSSary will be GER
tain to get an earful about them in
Washington. 1t will be said to him
what was said to Premier Laval last
month-that America looks upon the
ending of the Franco-German political
rfeud as a condition precedent to Euro
peairand world peace, and that II Paris
and Berlin statesmen are as devoted to
peace as they pretend to be, they can
best show it by burying the Ratchet.
X 4 X
One phase of the disarmament con-
| troVersy is sure to be thoroughly
thrashed out while Signor Grandi Is
here. The Franco-Italian controversy
over naval parity still RACES. It is one
of Eurcpe's sore spots, and, until healed,
| is capable of spreading into danger
| spot The United States has not ceased,
since the French and Italians failed to
reconcile their differences at the Lon
don naval conference in 1880, to work
! for an agreement between them. To
date all efforts for CANCELLATION have
been futile. Last Spring the British
government, experimenting the media
tory attempts Of the United States dur
ing the preceding Winter, thought it
had brought France and italy together.
But that, too, proved an Elusive hope.
The dispute has grown, rather than d.
minished, in intensity since the ship
wreck of compromise negotiations. 1t
is widely recognized that the final out
| come of the Franco Italian naval quar-
| rel will have a definite influence on the
| Geneva conference.
|
Unless Mussolini has changed his
mind, Signor Grandi will notify Pres1-
dent Hoover and Secretary Stimson