The Washington times., 1931-09-22
UNEASY.
ON RELATIONS
WITH j. S.
Premier's Visit to Washington
Is in Interest of CordiaIity;
Lang Under a Heavy Strain
By GEORGE r. HOLMES

By GEORGE r. HOLMES
France is somewhat uneasy over
the cordiality of her relations
with the United States.
This, briefly, is understood in
Washington to be the underlying
motive for the projected Ameri.
can visit of the French premier
Pierre Laval. He is expected IN
Washington within the next so
days for a series Of conferences
with Administration officials on
current world problems.
Invitation Invited
He will come at the invitation
Of President Hoover, of course.
But behind that invitation is a
story of growing French concern
over what she diScernS to be
diminishing French popularity in
the United States. II is true that
Mr.. Hoover invited the French
premier, bat it is also true that
Mr.. Hoover was virtually invited
to do the inviting.
1t was limited some weeks ago.
in the delicate way that dip
lomacy conveys such things. that
the French premier would vel.
come an invitation to visit Wash.
ington to discuss problems OF
mutual interest and to re-cement
the cordiality between the two
countries, which has sustained a
series of severe shocks in recent
years. Washington was inter
eSted in the hints but somewhat
unreSpOnSiVe.
Some Pointed Hints
Next, there appeared in Paris
dispatches obviously inspired in
formation that Premier Laval, fol-
lowing his visits to London and
Berlin, might be persuaded to
come to Washington in the in
terests of closer Franco American
relationship. These dispatches
were so pointed. and so obviously
inspired. that Washington could
no longer ignore the hint.
Consequently, Ambassador %dge
was instructed to convey to the
French foreign office the inteIli.
gence that if M. Laval could find
time to cross the Atlantic, he
would be assured of a cordial re-
ceptiOn in Washington. The Ad-
miniStratiOn could do little else
under the circumstances.
The French have been ex-
tremely sensitive TO their dimin-
ishing popularity in the United
States growing out of the numer-
Gus crises in international affairs
in which Franco-American inter
eStS have clashed violently.
Started With Debts
1t really began with the Franco
American debt settlement. al.
though before that France had
partially Scuttled the Harding,
Hughes arms conference by re-
fuSing to limit her naval arma-
ment below the class of battle
ships.
American opinion was opposed
to her policy Of occupying the
Ruhr. opposed to her persistent
policy of enforcing the letter Of
the Versailles Treaty against the
Germans, resentful over continued
French agitation for cancellation
of war debts, and impatient over
French efforts at sabotage in
every disarmament undertaking
since the initial conference at
Washington in 1921.
Delay On Moratorium
But American irritation over
French policy reached it's highest
point in June of this year, when
Paris held up and delayed for
days her agreement to President
HooVer's proposal for a years
moratorium on international
debts.
PARIS, Sept. % G.N.SD.
Pending the granting Of formal
permission by the council of min,
listers, Premier Pierre Laval to.
day was making tentative plans
to visit President Hoover in Wash.
ington next month.
The premier will refer the
Washington invitation to the cab.
met on Friday.