Evening star., 1931-06-20
America and Europe.

Although the White House specifically
warns against any premature deductions
from. it, the Presidents statement that
the administration Is considering Ger
tain steps which we might take to as
sist In economic recovery, both here
and, abroad is an announcement OF
undeniable significance. The specific
character of the conferences Mr.. Hoo
yer Is holding, 1t Is added, have been
particularly directed to Strengthening
the situation In Germany" It is mani
testify too early to foreshadow the re-
suit Of these deliberations, or ANY plan
or method" for giving them effect; but
the President declares with undisguised
significance that 1.-The response met with
from the leaders of both parties Is most
gratifying =. -
A few weeks ago Newton D. Baker
venthred the hint that the United
States could not indefinitely remain
''the bump on the international log. .
1t is. not necessary to share that Demo-
cratic sstatesman's views with reference
membership in the League Of Nations,
to see in the white House announce
ment an evident purpose to abandon the
passive role the United States is now
playing IN European economic affairs.
Plainly to be- read between the lines
of President Hoover's statement is an
acknowledgment that the time has ar
rived when, in our own interest it may
be un%ise to prolong our inactivity with
respect to the Old Worlds plight. 1t
is, OF course, as Mr.. Hoover has more
than once stressed during the past two
years, not exclusively an Old World
crisis. The New World, and especially
our part Of it, is in depression because
the rest of the world is. Economic
chaos in the modern state of interlock-
ing relations between the nations
knows no frontiers.
The American people would. do well
to withhold Judgment, as the President
bids,> before jumping to rash con-
clusions, pro or con, about the "plan or
method" that may be evolved for Amer
ican Intervention in the European SIT
uation. It may be program for q
German moratorium, for suspension OF
war debt payments to the. United States
for corresponding halt In German
reparation annuities to allied countries,
for an American Treasury loan to
Germany, or for other measures Of al
deviation. Any alteration, In the. Eu-
ropeane war debt settlements will re-
quire the assent of Congress. The ad-
ministration may propose, but House
and Senate are empowered to oppose
and dispose. In Europe this Summer,
Mr.. Hoover will have two highly COM
petent fact finders-Secretary Of the
Treasury Mellon, who is already there,
and Secretary of State Stimson, who is
about to, cross the ocean. :.
The President apparently intends, in
due course, to promulgate some ''plan
or method" after the necessary con-,
gressional support is assured and after
his own fund Of information Is ampli-
fed. and completed by Messrs. Mellon
and Stimson's inquiries in Europe. With
1882 just over the horizon, 1t is perhaps
too much to hope that the Hoover
project for offering American aid to
Europe, no matter in what form it
eventnates, will not become the target
Of political opposition. But already the
prophecy may be yentured that i'm
mense sections Of the American people,
in a spirit of combined altruism and en-
lightened self-interest, will be disposed
to follow the President in any program
which he determines to be best for the
disordered world at large, including
these disordered United States.