Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
LAVAL VISIT TERMED MERE
FRENCH EXPLORATION TRIP
Premier Unable to Make Concessions
on Disarmament or
Preparations.

cause he played with Rome instead of
Paris. There remains the question OF
the Polish corridor, and the basis of
Germany is the cessation of all German
agitation for treaty revision in this re-
spect and in the case of Upper SileSia.
In the case of the corridor, the
French have invested large sums both
in the port of Gdynia and the railway
from Kattowitz to this port, to bring
Silesian coal to the sea. All this invest
ment would be lost II the Corridor were
suppressed. However. it cannot be sup
pressed, in any event, without war, be-
cause the Poles are prepared to fight
to maintain it.
M Laval can talk to Mr.. Hoover
simply about the ACCESSIBILITY Ct all
around cancellation of debts and pro-
portionate wiping out of reparations
He cannot propose that France should
surrender the amounts she receives over
her debt payments, because the French
people would reject his bargain and
turn him out if he did! He can only
talk about disarmament as any French
contribution Is matched by German
naval surrender or an American guar
antee pact.
Nothing can be done in respect Of
Germany, nor. indeed of any of the
European problems until political ques-
tons are settled, and the President Of
the United States is visibly in a diff
cult situation to discuss politics. It is
an unfortunate fact that the French
press and public, so far as favorable at
all to the Laval visit, look to it to pro-
duce some political agreement. some re-
Storation of the close association of the
American nation with Europe and some
equally close association between
France, Great Britain and the United
States for the solution of the financial
and economic issues Of the present
hour.
Laval Likened to Coolidge.
Laval, a shrewd, hard-headed public
man. comes from the Auvergne, which
means in France about what Mr..
Coolidge has made coming from Yer
mont mean in the United States. Laval
has good sound common sense; he is
not in any sense the representative Of
extreme nationalistic ideas. On the
other hand, he is not an expansive or
emotional idealist, like Herriot. Tar
dieu is his most influential political
associate. He can be counted upon to
talk with extreme reasonableness and
to act with moderation, but he Is just
about as likely to make far-reaching
concessions as Calvin Coolidge, as
President, was to propose debt cancella-
ton.
The Laval excursion in most French
eyes is rather dangerous experiment
in prestige. France has reached the
unchallenged supremacy in Europe and
the invitation to Washington is &C.
cepted as an American recognition Of
French primacy in Europe. 1t is, in
a way. felt to be 2 tacit apology for
the fashion in which France was
ignored when Ramsay Macdonald was
asked to come to the Rapidan just be-
fore the London Naval Conference But
the French will feel great deal easier
in their own minds when Washington
is memory and Laval is home. II he
could bring security pact. his fortune
would be made; if he agreed to any
unilateral concession, his days would
be numbered.
Just an Exploration.
After all. then, Lavals trip to Wash
ington amounts to an adventure in
exploration to discover whether the
United States Is ready to join France
In the support of the present political
system of Europe, established by
French military power, financial ability
and diplomatic skill. Certain conces-
sions are possible in return for Amer
lean participation, but no material
modification Of the existing structure
Is possible.
For the first time on American soil
an administration is going to deal with
victorious France, which, in the mat
ter Of the Austro-G German tariff union.
has just won the greatest diplomatic
triumph Of the postwar years and is
now resolved to translate this triumph
into durable benefits, the first of which
must be German acceptance of the
territorial status quo OF the peace
treaties. And to this end France ex-
poets both American and British help.
AT bottom, this is the objective of the
Laval visit. Once this political issue
was settled, all sorts of economic and
financial agreements would follow logic
ally. but not before.
Washington is going to have a new
experience with a new France, or with
the old France in a totally new mood
! Copyright, 1917