Evening star., 1932-06-30
The Lausanne Conference.

After the furry caused by Col Won
Papens somewhat unpolitical statement
Of yesterday that world confidence could
be restored only if the victorious na-
tons of the World War decided to
abolish the determinations contained in
the Versailles treaty, the Lausanne
Reparations Conference settled down to
work again this morning. Ramsay Mac
Donald is responsible for having sal
vaged the sinking ship.
The six conferees at Lausanne are
likely to reach a solution soon. There
will be nothing spectacular in that So
luton. 1t will merely indicate that the
interested powers have agreed not to
disagree for the time being; that the
conference will continue to sit and pre-
pare the agenda for the coming inter-
national economic conference and that
in the meanwhile Germany will not be
compelled to default.
Palliatives are sometimes successful
in international politics. The Lausanne
palliative is considered necessary be-
cause Europe hopes that at the inter-
national economic conference America
will participate. and by that time, with
the American elections out Of the way,
the administration will be In a better
position to cooperate with the other
nations for the economic, financial and
political reconstruction of the world.
Lausanne has been described by the
leaders of the world as the most mo-
n1entous conference held since Ver-
sailles. 1t was called to discuss Ger
many's ability or inability to continue
to pay reparations. It degenerated into
a political conference of the first mag
nitude.
At first, political questions were dis
cussed in camera by the prime minis
ters and their immediate assistants;
yesterday Chancellor Won Papen indi-
Gated the real significance Of the con-
ference when he bluntly brought before
the world the most feared political con-
troversy which has existed since the
end of the World War-the revision of
the Versailles treaty. Won Papen's
action is described in many quarters
either as foolish or as naive attempt to
an inexperienced politician to gain the
popular vote in his own country at the
coming Reichstag election.
But the Won Papen move, regardless
as to what his object was, is likely to
have important consequences. He told
the world plainly what most impartial
observers have felt, namely, that the
nations Of Europe cannot continue to
live and hope to go back to a normal
state Of things under artificial condi-
tions. He declared that some of the
clauses of the treaty of Versailles
which are patiently unjust must go be-
fore the question of disarmament and
general reconciliation in Europe can be
settled. This point of view is shared to
a great extent by the administration
and the people of this country. and
was made plain to the former prime
minister Of France, M. Laval, during
his visit to the United States last Fall.
Won Papen's tactical error OF bring
ing up this question at a time when
Europe has almost reached its boiling
point may have a salutary effect on
those nations which have been opposing
the Hoover disarmament proposal. 1t
may force them to accept a greater
part of the Presidents proposal earlier
than it was expected. in order to avoid
the bringing of this question of the re-
vision Of the Versailles treaty to the
fore again