The Washington times., 1931-07-17
FOREIGN POLICY.
Of j. s. FACING
BIC CHANGE
London Farley Of Ministers
Has Two American SeCre-
tarieS for Discussion of Debt
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES

BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
President Hoover's appointment
Of Secretaries StimSon and Mel
lon as full-fledged participants in
the London conference of minis
ters marks an epochal change in
the foreign policy Of the Ameri-
can Government, as pursued since
the Senate refused to ratify the
Treaty of Versailles.
OStenSibly, the London confer.
ence is to deal with ways and
means of helping Germany out
Of her serious financial situation.
Actually, it is conceded here
that the conference is going to be
compelled to review not only Ger.
many'S immediate plight but the
whole train Of events and basic
conditions which led up to it.
Covers Many Things
That means reparatiOnS, war
debts, and the political under
standings and guarantees with
which Europe has involved its
postwar finances.
Secretaries Stimson and Mellon
will be sitting in a conference as
officially accredited representa-
tives Of the United States such as
no Americans have sat in, Off
cially, for 10 years. Always hereto
fore, in such conferences, and in
meetings far less portentous, the
United States has been repre-
sented only by unofficial OBJ
servers" if at all.
The result, in its relation to the
future foreign policy of the Ameri-
can Government, Is incaIculable.
That 1t may well mark a new and
important milestone in the de-
velOpment Of American relations
with Europe is universally cen.
ceded.
No Definite Orders
In announcing the designation
of Stimson and Mellon, President
Hoover said ut is our under
standing that the conference is
limited entirely to questions Of
the present emergency"
However, there are no agend9
for the meeting, and the state
ment was made by Acting Secre-
tary of State CaStel here that no
definite instructions have been
given to the two American repre-
senatives. They have been left
free to discuss or not to discuss,
apparently, anything that arises
in the meeting.
It is a radical departure from
the policy initiated by Charles E.
Hughes as Secretary of State
early in the Harding Administra-
ton. Hughes laid down the
policy that, so far as the United
States was concerned, there is no
relationship between the debts
Qoans) which the allied govern
ments owe the Treasury, and the
debts Geparations) which Ger.
many owes the Allies.
Many Back Hughes
The Hughes position was that
not being a participant in repara'
tions payments, the United States
Each succeeding Secretary of
was not interested in them.
State since Hughes has religiously
adhered to that policy, which has
been strongly supported by both
Republicans and Democrats in
Congress.
The result Of Mr.. HOOver's move
will be anxiOusIy awaited by his
party in the Senate. The most
powerful Senators on the Repub-
hcan side have been the sO-caIled
''iSOlatiOnists" who strongly sup
ported the Hughes policy, and the
subsequent policies Of his sue
cessOrs In abstaining from parti,
cipatiOn in European conferences
of . pOliticO-financial character.
There is already a considerable
amount Of uneasiness among
these Senators as to where the
road upon which Mr.. Hoover has
nov embarked is going eventually
to lead.
Stirs Under Current
This uneasiness is not being
voiced publicly, but it features
almost every private comment
upon the trend Of events.
If it works out successfully, II
Germany is rehabilitated and
business in this country substan,
TALLY benefited, then the NUT
tering opposition to the Presi-
dents new policy will evaporate
overnight, and the Republicans
will go into the presidential cam
paign proclaiming the far-sighted
vision of the administration.
If on the other hand, it does not
have these effects, then it Is going
10 intensity the opposition to the
President in his own party.
The political potentialities In
fHA Cifp1afiAra