Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
DEBT PLAN SEEN AS ENTRY
OF u. S. In AFFAIRS ABROAD
Hoover Now Has Initiative in Aversion
of Collapse Of Germany-Can Ask
Navy Building Suspension.

But France has little money In Ger
many, and would rather see Germany
go down in ruin than recover and be-
come again a peril to French security.
France, then, is almost certain to
meet American proposals for COM
plete suspension of debts, for the post
ponement Of all German payments. on
the one hand, by demands from Ger
many for political assurances and
from the United States of moral guar
antees. Will We underwrite the good
behavior Of the Germany We purpose
to save? That Is the giSt OF the
French question at the moment and
will be henceforth.
What is clear beyond all details is.
however, that the action of President
Hoover has now taken us back into
the midst of the European situation TO
degree which finds no parallel except
in the adventures of Woodrow Wilson.
Suddenly. and as the result Of one brief
statement, Mr.. Hoover has sat down
at the head of the international table
and, as mere matter OF course. all
subsequent action will in advance be
submitted to him.
u. S. Presence Inevitable.
If there is a question Of an inter-
national conference to deal with eco
nomic issues, as Is now discussed IN
foreign dispatches, then 1t is natural
and inevitable that we should be repre-
scented, in fact, that the chairman
should be an American, named by the
President. The British, the Germans,
the Italians have every reason to de-
sire to expand as far as possible the
extent of our participation. If the
French and their allies are less en-
fI,,1ci hoy TNouerf hnlpcS he
unable openly to oppose our European
action. But, in point of fact, our
possible contribution at the moment
seems limited to two things, the imam
cial relief, which must flow from the
reduction Of Germany's annual pay
ment by 100000, 900 and the psyche
logical change which may follow the
final perception by the German masses
of a disposition in the outside world
to save the Reich from ruin. And 1t
may we'll be that the psychological will
outweigh the monetary.
On the other hand. 1t is far too
early to conclude that Germany has
already been saved and that what le-
ment of details. This may turn out to
be the case, but. on the other hand,
it may just as easily be that the aid has
come too late and that the political
situation within Germany has so far
escaped control that when the ReichS-
tag reconvenes, the extremist parties
will throw the Bruening cabinet out and
thereby insure the ultimate collapse.
Insist on Treaty Change.
Much, Of course, will depend upon
French action. But, after all, it is
necessary to note that the German
people are Just as inSiSte.lt upon the
revision of the territorial details of
the peace treaties as they are on the
reduction of reparations. The question
Of the Polish Corridor is quite as vital
in the German mind as the tribute
money" due the allies. In this situa-
ton, everything obviously depends on
the extent to which the Bruening cabi-
net and the business and financial
elements in Germany can persuade,
men to agree to a moratorium in poll
tics to match that in debt payments.
And here the influence of Washington
upon Berlin may be decisive.
In any event, we are lin Europe,
now" We are in Europe for what may
perhaps be described as the duration
Of the present crisis, which can last
for years and is only in part economic
and financial. Our influence and our
action in political matters will now be
sought at least as eagerly as our ad-
vice and support in money questions.
Hoover, following Wilson, has once
more shattered the tradition OF iso-
lation and adopted policy of associa-
ton in European affairs, which may
have consequences as considerable as
self.
(Copyright, 1880