Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-08
Healthy Discussions.

When the American SscClon OF tne
International Chamber Of Commerce In
vited that important organization to
meet In Warrington this month, It was
intimated that the freest, fullest and
frankest discussion of all controversial
issues would be welcomed. The sugges-
ton was more than perfunctory, because
the outside world lays . good many OF
its current trials and tribulations at the
feet of the United States. Uncle Sam
ofIlcially is blamed for his attitude on
war debts, reparations and tariffs, and
Uncle Sam privately is held responsible
for teaching other countries the evil OF
mass production.
The International Chamber is bringing
to q close tomorrow six days Of uncom-
monty fruitful discussion on these and
q variety Of allied themes, such as silver,
stock exchange practices and unemploy-
ment conditions. The keynote" struck
by President Hoover on disarmament
has not come under debate, except In
the corridors Of the biennial congress,
but It Is expected to be the subject Of q
resolution before the chamber adtourns.
That the business men Of. the world
win identity themselves with Mr.. Hoo
ver's anxiety over the mounting coSth-
ness Of ornaments can hardly be
doubted, though they may not 60 the
length Of concurring In his theory that
the heavy burden Of national defense
lies at the root Of economic depression.
Yesterdays striking remarks Of Dr..
Carl Bergman, q former German
finance minister, on reparations and
war debts probably crystallizes the In
ternatIonal Chamber Of Commerce at
titude on those fundamental Issues
issues which Europe holds to be inter-
locking and which the United States
Government looks upon as wholly dis
associated. Or. Bergman contends
that the PREPARATIONS problem cannot be
considered . closed incident, as last
adjusted by the Young Plan. That
plan, he points out, was adopted be-
fore the world crash In industry and
securities. Conditions on which It was
based having undergone revolutionary
change, the plan itself must not be re-
garded as im1nutable, the German
banker-economist argues.
Dr.. BeTsmann goes straight to our own
interest In reparations, from which we
are nominally and onicially detached,
by reminding US that under the Young
Plan Germany has 10 pay to her sew
eral creditors what they owe to the
United States, so that the full burden
Of the so-called international debts
falls upon Germany" From that prem
ise, d.. Bergman pleads that as Ger
many's tnport-buying power Is being
paralyTed and her export power fever
ishly developed by the necessity to meet
heavy reparation annuities, the effect
on other countries Is cumulatively detri-
mental. Tn the last results" he added,
ominously. there are limits to every
thing. The discussion Of reconsider.
alton (of reparations) must be con-
tanued and deepened."
Previous congresses Of the Tnterna-
tional Chamber Of Commerce led d.
rectly to the creation Of the Dawes
Commission Of 1873 and the Young
Commission Of 1929. Perhaps the
healthy discussions which which have
reSounded through Washington this
week are destined to lead TO that ire
consideration" Of German reparationS
for which the Reich bankers. In times
Like these, with all and sundry In o state
OF fiux, 1t would be . rash prophet who
would say that 50 burning . question,
ramifytng into every field Of world eco
Monies, Is to be regarded Is static and
settled beyond all possibility Of re-
vision,