The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-16
HOOVER TRIUMPHs

FreS1Qent mowers mOrdpOrlum Oh
PREPARATIONS and war debts is a reality.
With remarkable precision and swift
ness the President has brought the
whole world into accord with his pro.
lposal. Formidable obstacles have been
met and overcome. The achievement is
all the more significant because the
American Government made no sacri
fee of principle to bring France into
harmony with the plan.
Technical details of the agreement
including reparations in kind, which
were the last hurdle, will be left for a
committee of experts to decide. But
those experts will have no authority to
negotiate and question outside Of the
"broad spirit of the Presidents pro.
posal." The details which they will set.
tie are relatively unimportant. What
the world has been waiting to hear is
that PREPARATIONS and war debts would
be actually suspended for one year.
For millions of people in the United
States and abroad this agreement
marks the turn from depression and
despair to hope, renewed activity and
ultimate prosperity.
One paragraph of President Hoov.
er's statement is especially signif.
cant:
While the plan is particularly
aimed to economic relief, yet eco
nomic relief means the swinging
of mems minds from fear to con-
fidence, the swinging of nations
from apprehension of disorder
and governmental collapse to
hope and confidence in the future.
1t means tangible aid to unem-
ployment and agriculture.
This agreement can be interpreted
in no other way than as great vic.
tory for President Hoover. He is re.
sponsible for the original proposal and
for the successful completion of nego.
tiations with France. Tempering
firmness with an understanding of the
problems of France, he won every sub
stantial point in the negotiations with.
out deviating from his original pur.
pose. Yet the whole agreement has
been concluded in an atmosphere Of
confidence and good will that contrib
ute to the more hopeful economic out.
look.
President Hoover worked indefatig-
ably to iron out the differences that
arose between the United States and
France. In Paris, Secretary Mellon
kept the negotiations keyed up to a
high pitch. No stone was left unturned
that might aid in bringing the two
governments into complete accord.
Seldom, if ever, have international ne
gotiations of this character been pur-
sued so relentlessly. Disagreement
has never been contemplated. Presi-
dent Hoover, having sethis face grimly
toward the goal of reparations relief,
has allowed nothing to interfere with
the successful completion of his task.
Where no changes in the spirit of
the original offer were involved the
United States compromised. For the
sake of keeping the Young plan intact
the Americon Government agreed that
Germany should continue to pay I'M
conditional annuities, but those pay
ments are to be made available to Ger
many in the form Of loans. Another
compromise was reached on the length
of time that Germany and the debtor
nations shall be allowed to make up
the suspended payments. But the
President has insisted that Germany
be relieved, in effect, of all repara-
tons for one year. In that position
he now has the support of all inter-
ested parties.
The refusal of Mr.. Hoover to be
drawn into European controversies
over reparation payments is highly
commendable. The question of guar
antee payments was one of the most
serious snags struck in the entire ne
gotiations. That matter is to be dealt
with by the signatories of the Young
plan, of which the United States is
not one. Had the United States been
drawn into this controversy endless
complications might have ensued
President Hoover had no intention of
disturbing the international obliga-
tions of Germany, or of the allies to
the United States. That he was able
to keep the negotiations of this mora
forum free from entangling and en-
barrassing agreements is high. trib-
ute to his craftsmanship.
At no time did the President allow
leadership in the movement to get out
of his hands. The French government
tried repeatedly to turn the negotia-'