Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-07
FRANCE APPL.AUDED
FOR HEROIC STAND
Difference in Population and
Size Makes Her Sacri-
flee Greatest.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

CLle agreement WIN FRANCE Is very
great victory for President Hoover, and
so it is. Any sense of fine feeling,
however, will suggest that the first
allusion be to France. France, next
to the United States, makes the great
est financial sacrifice.
Considering the difference in popu-
lation and resources, Frances sacrifice
is really the greater. The truth is that
for France the sacrifice and the
willingness to cooperate in fine act
Of international helpfulness is not at
all to be measured in terms of money.
A considerable portion of the French
people, for perfectly understandable
reasons, because of their memories, live
in fear of powerful Germany. That
the nation should now be willing to
participate in an action designed to
save Germany from calamity and set
her on her feet is perhaps as epochal
a landmark of progress toward world
peace as we have had since the psy-
chology of war began to dominate the
world II years ago.
What France has now done is not
only creditable to the best in the
courage on the part of the French
statesmen. They could have taken
what would have been for them in
their domestic politics an easier way.
They could readily have fallen back
upon the natural fears of then electo-
rate, could have prolonged these negotia-
tons for a long time. and could have
demanded many concessions.
Praises HoOver's Courage.
AS respects the negotiations now con-
-. =, ~
three qualities in President Hoover:
Courage, tenacity and resourcefulness.
The courage lay in the making of the
original proposal. Under the circum-
stances, one is justified in calling it the
most daring adventure in practical good
will that the world has seen in this
generation. The detailed conduct of the
negotiations called for tenacity and re-
SourcefulneSS to a degree that will not
be fully known until historians dig into
the diplomatic correspondence and the
records of the endless telephone CONVEX
sations that raced across the Atlantic.
The final move that brought the
conference to a successful end was the
note that was composed in Washington
on Sunday and sent to the French in
the form of new and Simplified
formula" President Hoover did not
sleep on Sunday night until o'clock.
This final message said to the French,
in effect, that the negotiations had be-
come involved in Snarl of technical
questions, that the central purpose and
spirit of the proposal was in danger of
being lost IN the fog of minor reserva-
tons, and that the benefits of the pro-
poSal could now best be achieved by
the two nations coming to prompt
agreement on the original proposal to-
gether with the small number of really
essential and germane points that the
French had raised early in the negoti-
ations. AS to all the mass of techni-
calities. the suggestion of the final
American note was that these be re-
ferred to committee of experts from
the treasures Of the countries involved
To this the French generously agreed
within few hours after receiving it.
Need for Action Seen.
The French may have been moved
not only by the appeal and spirit of the
final note from Washington. but also
by realization that if Germany were to
be saved at all she had best be saved
promptly. 1t is true the danger of
financial and social catastrophe in Ger
many has been abated by President
Hoovers original proposal two weeks
! ago The financial part of Germany's
danger, however, had returned because
of the prolongation of the negotiations
with France. On Saturday night the
col1dition Of the German Reichsbank,
! after being partially eased for two
weeks, had become more acute than
! ever. The bank and Germany now are
presumably saved.
What prolonged the French negotia-
ton is easy to understand. It was the
constant arising of new points which
| the French. with understandable appre-
hension, felt should be settled in adj
vance. Agreement upon one point had
the effect of presenting a new area
upon which additional possibilities of
future complication could arise Conse-
quently the mass of controverted
points" accumulated like a rolling
SNOWFALL until President Hoover cut
through to the original heart of the
proposal in the final communication on
Sunday night. By the generous agree
ment of the French, the debt morato-
rum goes into effect, and the minor
points will be handled from time to
time by commission of experts from
the treasures of the various countries
The achievement Is peculiarly and
Enthusiastically a Hoover one. The
inspiration was solely his, and in the
conduct of it he has been more himself
| than in almost any event of his admin
istration. His minute preparation for
the move was characteristic and con-
sumed much of his time from May S
until June 20. when he gave the pro-
posal to a world that was first startled
and then delighted. AS a consequence
of Mr., Hoover'S minuteneSS of prepara-
| ton and of his tenacity and resource
fitness in his negotiations, the result
, is that this international accord has
been brought to fruit with speed in
comparably greater than any of the
considerable number of international
| conferences that have taken place since
| the war.
(Copyright, 1850.