Evening star., 1932-04-03
US. PRESTIGE ATLOWEST
POINT ABROAD SINCE 1917
Congress Renders White House and State
Department Efforts Futile as
Regards European Policy.

| participation, cannot find an American
to deal with. If the President and Con-
gress had all along pursued an identical
course, even had that been one OF total
refusal to cancel or reduce, Europe
would be less bewildered But it saw
the moratorium affair as a change OF
American policy, undertaken by the
President; it still is unable to compre-
hend the subsequent course of Congress
| Our ambassadors abroad get inStruc-
tions to wait upon prime ministers or
foreign ministers to communicate views
of great Importance. But, while the
foreign statesmen listen with interest
and courtesy, they remain totally in the
dark as to what the messages presage,
and inevitably begin to query Washing
ton and examine American friends as
to the real meaning of the messages
and the likelihood of counter offensive
on the part of Congress. The result is
that the difference between the impor
tance of the American and the British
ambassador at any European capital is
incredible, fact never more impressive
than when matters of grave and world
wide Importance are up.
Now. to be precise, the matter of the
Lausanne Conference is far less definite
than the questions concerning the
Danubian states, since one of two
things is bound to happen. There
either will be another complete failure
to adjust economic interests because of
political rivalries, or presently certain
definite agreements will be made. In
the former case the United States
merely will suffer, in accordance with
its commitments in the resulting col
lapse of the mark; in fact, of all Cen
trail European currencieS and a further
restriction of markets. In the latter
event it will later be confronted by
very definite plan worked out chiefly by
the great powers envisaging the elimi-
nation of reparations and of debts.
Told to Clean Up Mess.
A favorite doctrine of the Hoover ad-
ministration, which has been literally
circulated in Europe is that the first
step to a general reorganization must
be an agreement between the European
states to clean up their own mess.
Thereafter, SO Europe has been told
again and again, it would be possible to
approach Washington after the presi-
Dental election and demand better
terms, based on further sacrifices over
here, with brighter prospects in Ameri-
can trade and private debts.
This is the underlying assumption for
Lausanne. This will be the argument
urged on all sides for an agreement.
But this means, in simple terms, that If
Lausanne should produce an adjustment
of the European economic questions
squarely based on the idea of cancella-
tion of debts to America, and If the
project later meets rejection at the
hands of Congress, Europe is going to
feel that it has been deceived by Hoo
yer, as it firmly believes 1t was mlsled
by Wilson in the matter of the peace
treaties. But if the agreement reached
at Lausanne is on the basis Of repudi-
alton by Europe and cancellation of
United States debts, what will be left
for America to do? That Is the ques-
ton.
Events Move Rapidly.
In point of fact. events are moving
here very rapidly now. There will
either be an agreement between France
and Great Britain as to general policy,
or a continuation of the deadlock
which has lasted since Macdonald be-
came prime minister two years ago.
If an agreement comes, it will be the
prelude to Summer of important
conferences, not a few, perhaps, car
ried on behind the screen Of the mori-
bund Disarmament Conference. If we
adhere to our present policy OF alb
stention, we are likely to find all our
interests adjusted without regard to
our views, when Autumn comes. OF
course, if all agreements fail a new
crash of the mark is regarded uni
versally as inevitable, and with this
the collapse of private as contrasted
with reparations payments. But in
either case, the heaviest cost will have
been borne by American taxpayers and
investors, and what is most astonish-
ing is that American representatives
have deliberately been stopped from
participating in the affair At Geneva,
where nothing can be done about dis
armament, we have our full and costly
share, but elsewhere, at a conference
where our billions must be at stake,
our voices will be absent Can one
wonder that Europe is amazed that
American diplomacy can be so i'm
potent?
(Copyright. 1927