Evening star., 1931-12-06
CONGRESS VIEWED
AS NAT|ONALISTIC
Session viii Be Occupied
With Troubles at Home.
viii Let World "SteW."
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE,

Congresses Washington has knowr
since the World War convenes tomor-
Pw
The first session Of the Seventy-sec-
ond House and Senate will be permeatec
from the outset with the charity begins
at-home idea 1t will be distinguished
by a spirit Of heIpfuIness, but its delb-
erations and enactments will be DOM
mated by the belief it is the United
States duty at this hour to concentrate
upon the plight of the American peo-
pie The troubles OF the rest OF tie
world. if the mood in which members
are assembling is any criterion, Will be
matters of wholly secondary consldera-
ton.
Although much Of international mo-
rnent has occurred since Congress ad-
journed last March, the conviction has
deepened at Washington that events
both here and abroad are sharpening
this country's determination to let other
nations stew in their own juice. No
one in AUTHORITY puts it quite that
brutally. but tEs hOmespun old idlom
about expresses what people back
home" as echoed by their chosen
spokesmen on Capitol Hill, are thinking
and saying.
Debt Suspension Assured.
The earliest revelation Of nati0nalistlc
sentiment is due when President Hoover
asks Congress to ratify the one-year
holiday on fntergovernmental debts
which he instigated last June. Ratiti-
cation is a foregone conclusion, The
President assured himself on that score
by private communications with con-
gressional leaders before the Hoover
year" was proclaimed.
The enthusiasm which greeted the
plan-whiCh was so loud that II set
Democratic knees to quaking about the
possibility Of defeating Mr.. Hoover IN
l932-has entirely vanished. The debt
suspension plan is now accounted. even
by those who threw their hats up the
highest when it was launched, as
failure. 1t has not accomplished the
intended purpose. 1t afforded Ger
many only temporary reliet. Il mos
her today in more desperate phght than
when the debt holiday was projected
The President will reap the brunJ OIL
this unforeseen development when the
matter is up for approval Ratification
will be accompanied by a thunderous
demand that the debt plan take its
Mace in history as the first and last
proposition Of its kind, as tar as the
United States is concerned.
The international bankers" always
the target for congressional lnVecJlVe,
will come under fresh fire during the
debt plan discussion. Charges VIII pc
hurled that the Hoover year" was con-
ceived not so much in the interest OF
Germany as on behalf Of the American
banking group which induced American
citizens to invest billions in German Sc
curities. Hardly in any probable cir
cumstances will Congress, on this or
sny other account, refuse to ratity the
debt plan. whereby the United States
has foregone some $3.50, ,O0O,000 in Euro
pean var debt payments this year.
But the Capitol viii rock with the
argument that there must be no more
leniency Of the same kind, at least for
some time to come.
Laval Visit VIII BE Aired.
Nationalistic thought will break out
vividIy, too, over French Premier LaYals
visit to Washington. Congress Is in
uuisitive as to exactly what commit
ments were made to him about war
debts Questions are sure to be raised
concerning the bargain Messrs. Hoover
and Stimson r ade with M Laval.
On the eve of the French statesman'S
departure, intimatiOn was made in
Washington that the United States had
agreed with France not to take the
initiative in the field of inter-govern-
mental debts, but leave that exclusively
to Europe for consideration within the
framework of the Young plan. It was
also officially revealed that NJ. Laval
was told that if Germany's European
her ~ iF7,r
or reductions on reparatiOnS the
Hoover administration would recon-
mend Congress to be equally accom-
modating on European war debts owing
to the United States The President
and Secretary Of State were careful
Of course, to remind M Laval that they
could only propose things TO Congress,
which is a power unto itself Never
theless, meIbers Of Congress are bent
upon prying deep into the Laval Hoover
negotiations and finding out just how
far, even Professionally, the United
States is committed
Opposed to Debt Cancellation.
The Seventy-second Congress is uni
versally considered an anti-debt reduc-
ton and anti-debt cancellation body.
The House, under Speaker Gamers
leadership will register unmistakable
views along those lines The Senate is
probably less iTreConCilable on the debt
issue though far from being either
reductionist or Cancellationist. The
Senate expects to have early opp1r-
tunity TO show its natiOnalistic cOlors
When President Hoover seeks ratifca-
tlon Of the World Court protocol,
To date the White House has not
pressed for action on the court. pre-
sumably feeling its fate would be
doubtful. Senator Borah has Signaled
his old-time opposition to American
entry and Is prepared to oppose it more
StrenuOuSly than ever. The Senate
foreign relations chairman contends
that the courts record this year. es-
pecially in the AUstro-G German tariff
merger case, brands it as a tribunal
which the United States will do well
to boycott.
League and Navy to Be Issues.
Americas Irritation" with the League
Of Nations in connection with the
Japanese-Chinese War in Manchuria
will cause the nationalistic fires TO
fare up in both houses Of Congress.
Even If Japan had not successfully
defed both the League Council and
the United States, protest against our
intervention in the Far Eastern mess
would have been forthcoming Now
that we put our fingers in it, only to
have them burned, makes sure the
protest will be vigorous
All over the country the idea has
taken root during recent times that
the outside world is preaching peace
and plotting war; that While bewailing
its economic distress, it continues to
pour money into armaments, that in
ternational politics remains what it
has always been-a ruthless sparrine
for advantage. with the rights OF
weaker nations counting for naught
against the might Of stronger powers;
that both Europe and Asia are powder
barrels ready to explode on the slightest
proyocation, the League Of Nations
Locarno and Kellogg pacts and naval
limitation treaties 10 the contrary not
uithstandinp