Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15
BY WILLIAM HARD.


How much are we in Europe?
That is the question that brightens
the lives of some people-and darkens
the lives of others-as Signor Dino
Grand, foreign minister of the royal
Italian government, today approaches
the harbor of New York on his way to
Washington and the house Of his per-
sonal friend, Henry l.. Stimson, Secre-
tary of State Of the United States of
America.
washington still seeks to know
whether it was Grandi or Stimson who
first thought up the one-year "arma-
ments truce" to which the principal
countries of the world have now agreed.
! All that seems reasonably ascertained
is that the idea sprang up in the course
Of conversations between the two men
at Rome last Spring. Thereafter, how
ever, at Geneva in the Assembly of the
League of Nations Signor Grandi be-
came the owner of the copyright of the
1 idea by first publishing it to the world
in the form of q concrete suggestion.
! He thus gave to Italy a sort of instant
primacy in the struggling and reluctant
march of the nations toward disarna-
ment.
That is the background that clings
the greatest illumination upon the
Washington. It Is meaning that has
to be expressed in two sections.
One-Fascist Italy, bellicose Italy, in
ternationalistic italy, Italy bent upon
bringing repose and restoration to Eu-
rope.
Two.-In the accomplishment of this
fairly suddenly undertaken task, Italy
is pursuing principles which, with some
sound reason, 1t hopes to find con-
! toll oil NV tho TTnitad States
Government.
On that second point a certain ex-
position Of the present mood Of the
| United States Government toward Eu-
rope is necessary.
The President has disappointed a
great many advocates of drastic Amer
cent policies and pronouncements.
Therein lies a peculiarly sad jest.
Millions of Americans seem to be con-
WINGED that the financial International
lists and intellectual internationalists Of
New York City have wholly captured the
White House. Several times lately the
White House has been warned by emf
nent practical Republican politicians
that the power of the internationalists
over the White House, If continued,
would rend and ruin the Republican
party. Meanwhile the internationalists
in question, both financial and intel
lectual, conceive themselves to have
been elected from the White House
and conceive the President to have re-
lapsed into isolation"
They point with grief to several re-
cent occurrences.
A. They wanted the President. in his
conversations with Prime Minister
Laval of France, to make start toward
a treaty of mutual guarantee" where
by we would undertake to defend France
against "unprovoked aggression" The
President rejected that idea and even
rejected the idea Of treaty OF mere
consultation"
B. The internationalists, so-called,
wanted the President to take the In.
itiative once more in the matter OF
German reparations. The President,
on the contrary sent that initiative
back to Europe by imposing 1t upon
France.
c. The New York bankers wanted
presidential declaration moving toward
the outright cancellation OF the Euro
pean debts owed to the United states
Treasury. They got instead private
presidential statement to the effect that
cancellation could not be accepted as
a present principle.
D. It was thought that at any rate
the President would make a DEFINITE
agreement with Prime Minister Laval
as to American action in case German
reparationS should be reduced. 1t now
appears. more and more, that what
ever agreement may have been reached
en- this topic was certainly indefinite
and perhaps revocable. French jour
nalists who accompanied Prime Minis
ter Laval to Washington and who re-
turned with him to Paris are now pc
FAII lit a
palatable fact to the French public.
E. The President last month, III
sending Mr.. Prentiss Gilbert to co.
operate with the League Council, had
him sit with 1t in the same room. ms
month, in sending Mr.. Charles Gates
Dawes to cooperate with the League
Council, he is having him sit carefully
in any room but the same room. Slmui.
taneously the Presidents Secretary OF
State shows unexpected zeal in declar-
ing that our cooperation with the
League Council, whatever 1t may be, Will
be conducted toward the Orlent, not
through League channels, but through
channels of our own.
F. The President on Armistice Gay
last week drove the friends OF the
organization of peace" through pleoges
and mutual undertakings, almost 70
despair by declaring that action Tor
peace requires no treaties, no oocu-
ments, no commitments" That oec-
laration is thought worthy of the most
"isolationist" days Of Harding OF
Coolidge.
Such Is the recoil that disappointed
elements think they observe IN Presi-
dent Hoover from being Europe
savior" Then comes the indirect ano
odd harmony between this recoil ano
the policies of Italy and OF Dino Granoi;
1t would suit French notions ano
projects If the United States would
enter into pledges and mutual unoer,
takings that would safeguard ano
solidify the present posture Of affairs
] in Ealrona Under the treaties OF peace