Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-08
The U. S. A. to the Rescue :

The U. S. A. to the Rescued
Washington reverberates with reports,
which lack official sanction but smack
Of FEASIBILITY, that Uncle Sam may be
on the verge Of taking a definite hand
in the solution of Europe's economic
problems. Admittedly, pending authori-
tative corroboration, the prospect rests
mainly on superstition arising from
these coincidental circumstances:
/. The impending departure for Europe
of Secretaries Mellon and Stimson.
2. Proclamation by the German gov
eminent that the Reich has reached
the limit of the 'priyations" which it
can bear
3. A statement by Senator Borah that
revision Of the German reparatiors set
Element is "expedient economically and
fundamentally just" and that he would
favor reduction Of allied war debts as
guild pro quo for reduction of ornaments.
Even though Mr.. Melons transat-
lantic travelling plans are purely per-
WA
purpose "over there" Is essentially va
cational, all the world knows that
Americans occupying their exalted po-
sitions cannot glone-trot without letting
business season pleasure. If Messrs.
Mellon and Stimson do nothing but
lend courteous ears to the plants Of Lon
don, Paris, Berlin and Rome, or any
one of those capitals, their sojourn,
willy-nilly, will be forthwith Invested Of
exclusively private character.
The overshadowing aspect of current
international developments-in England,
in Germany and in the United States
from the American standpoint, at least,
is Senator Borah's manifesto. 1t was
evoked by the Reich governments ap-
peal to the world for reduction of rep
arations as the alternative to a catas-
trophe, which would engulf not only
the German nation. but perhaps Europe
and civilization itself. The chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee takes that warning seriously.
ITO grind the German working people
into unsp. taxable misery" Mr.. Borah
says, would be calamity the evil con-
sequences of which, to say nothing Of
its inhumanity, no tongue can properly
express"
Thereupon Senator Borah marches
straight into the field Of discussion
wherein American interests impinge
upon the reparations question. Hitherto
successive Washington administrations
have maintained that reparations and
war debts are entirely unrelated prop
ositions. Our position has been that
from the time allied obligations to the
United States were funded on liberal
terms they became a closed incident.
Ever and anon Washington points out
that the annual 100000, ooO-odd in
principal and interest payable here is
practically offset by allied receipts from
Germany, not to mention the far great
er sum American tourists year by year
leave behind them in Europe. The
American argument runs that Uncle
Shylock" is thus, in cold fact, imposing
no hardships on his Old World debtors
and that cancellation or curtailment of
the debts under the circumstances is
unjustifiable.
Now comes Senator Borah, in the
past an Incorporating foe Of debt re-
mission, and declares that If Europe will
stack arms he, at least, Is willing to
cancel the war debts. His condition is
reduced ornaments and "disarma-
ment to a large extent" If the foreign
relations chairman speaks with any
White House or State Department au-
thority, momentouS change in Amer
lean policy would seem to be cryStalliz-
ing. 1t is valuable in this connection
to remember that it was the Idahoan's
initiative in the Senate, at the end Of
1920, which Immediately led to Presi-
dent Harding's action in converting the
Washington Armament Conference Of
1922. President Hoover's anxiety
fer action in the domain of arms re-
duction is now one of the major facts
and factors in international affairs.
In England it used to be said, when
free trade was more popular than now,
that what Manchester thinks today
London will think tomorrow" Is
Borah's thought in the matter Of debt
reduction prophetic OF what Washing
tons mental processes will be 'tomor-
row.? The line of communications
from his Office to the White House and
the State Department has been uncom-
monty wide open lately. Current hour
events may be larger with significance
than is apparent, even though the
shadow they cast is no bigger than a