Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25

misunderstanding can be summarized
as follows:
The United States has felt that
France has been Selfshly trying to
block peace. progress and the disarma-
ment of the world in order to keep
Germany down and exercise a willful
and artificial military domination over
Europe.
Fixed Topics Lacking.
France, while never doubling our
good viii and good faith, has felt that
our craftsmanship and public opinion
have been completely misled, partly by
German and British influences, into
taking steps and holding opinions re-
garding French motives and policies
and regarding conditions in Europe in
general which the French think utterly
unjust and unjustifable.
There will be no fixed program for
the Washington conversations. Mr..
Hoover and M. Laval will talk as man
to man on any and all subjects which
pertinent. It can easily be foreseen,
however. that the following subjects
will be included:
/. War debts and reparations. Since
these have been formally linked to-
gether, first by the Young plan and
then by the Hoover moratorium. and
since the possibility of extending this
moratorium or even of reducing both
debts and separations Is being widely
discussed, it seems essential that the
United States, the principal war-debt
reparations creditor, should reach q
common ground, If possible, or at least
agree in the future to consult one an
other before launching any definite
programs.
The French tend to regard repara-
lions as sacred" and the war debts as
anomalous, while we tend to regard the
reparations as oyeremphasized and the
war debts as q solemn engagement.
There is a direct conflict here which 1t
win be both the duty and the aim of
Mr.. Hoover and M. Laval to try to
solve. It Is doubtful If either country
debts or reparations completely can
celed.
Gold Standard to Come Up.
2. The gold standard, France and
the United States are now the only two
securely solvent big gold standard
countries. They seem to have a COM
mon interest, first, to preserve the gold
standard from the general assault
against 1t which appears to be surging
on all sides: second. to bring first Great
Britain and then the others back to the
gold standard as quickly as possible;
and. third, to consider measures for de-
tending their foreign trade from the
unfair competition of infiationist coun-
tries.
For all these purposes, It may be
found necessary to extend their COM
mon foreign loan policy, begun in the
last few weeks with frequent consulta-
tons among leading French and Amer
lean bankers.
8. Political tranquility. The Wiggin
report at Basel laid down as the first
condition Of world recovery the estab-
lishment of more harmonious political
relations between the leading countries
Already President Hocyer's invitation
to- Premier Laval seems TO have had a
good effect In this direction, for the
prospects of a Franco-Gern1an under
standing when M. Laval and Foreign
Minister Aristide BRAND visit Berlin
this week end have grown distinctly bet
| ter during the last few days. The idea
that France and the United States
might soon come to terms seems to have
inspired serious reflections in German
government circles. The chances are
however, that M Laval will desire &c
thrssh out with Mr.. Hoover the whole
question Of agitation fer treaty revi-
| sion.
Closer Cooperation Foreseen.
A. Disarmament. So far as Is known
both countries sincerely desire disarma-
ment, but they differ Numerically re-
garding the best means OF achieving it
The United States thinks that the cove
nant of the League Of Nations, the KEEL
logg pact and the Locarno treaties
backed by the sanction of public opin-
ion. give sufficient security and that
further security can be achieved from
the act OF disarmament itself.
France Just as firmly believes that
drastic disarmament without some
previous arrangement for making COM
mon armed cause against possible ag-
greSsor would be foolhardy and highly
dangerous. especially at the present
moment when a large part Of Europs
! appears TO be racked by wild theories
and wilder passions.
That all these grave issues can be
| constructiyely settled in a few hours
| talk is considered highly unlikely. But
| that the misunderstanding can be re.
moved and each nation brought to a
better comprehension of the others
needs and viewpoint is thought certain
| The Laval-Hoover meeting 1t is said
will be merely the beginning Of closer
| Franco-American cooperation, just as
the Hoover Macdonald visit was the,be-
ginning Of closer Anglo-American CO.
! operation.
CcopyriEht. 1917