Evening star., 1932-06-26
HOover's Message Broke
The Windows at Geneva
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, June 25.-"Nothing viii
be done at Geneva until some one
breaks the windows" said an eminent
public man to me on Tuesday. Presi-
dent Hoover's stone next day broke the
windows and shook the conference to
its foundations. st.tI.4s
The meeting Of Ambassador Hugh S.
Gibson and Premier Edouard Herriot at
MorgeS had prepared the public for
some development on the part Of the
United States, but no one expected the
dramatic challenge which followed.
Until Hooyer's intervention, sleeping
sickness had seized the conference and
the general feeling prevailed that 1t
was doomed to flicker out in hopeless
futihty. Now it has been shocked into
life, whei her 1t is a temporary spasm
or a real resurrection remains to be
seen.
Public opinion here Is enormously
stirred and press approval is practical
ly unanimous, the widely expressed
view being that Hoover's proposals are
comparable with the late President
Wilson's insiStence that the League of
Nations should form a part Of the
peace treaty of Versailles. -
y T
The Importance of the Hoover move
is that 1t Is an attempt to shift the
issue from technical and material con-
siderations to moral aims, from the
deSolatingl Wrangle Of military experts
to a problem Of world statesmanship.
The question whether, as the Paris
critics allege, Hoover's challenge is a
move in the electoral struggle is ir-
relevant. The conference should not
be concerned with Hoover's domestic
motives, but with the wisdom or un-
wisdom of his proposals. 1t is pertinent
in this Connection to recall that Presi-
dent Hoover's action a year ago, which
catastrophe and which France nearly
sandbagged, was not an electoral
maneuver. at-r
Enthusiastic reception Of the pro-
posals by Italy. Germany and Russia
were welcomed here as more representa-
tive of British feeling than Sir John
Simon's studiously cautious ommen-
dation, and much diSquiet is expressed
in regard to Simon's apparent assump
tion of the perpetuation of capital ships
in face of the fact that the Hoover pro-
posals point definitely to the abolition
of all construction Of ships exceeding
10000 ton
On the other hand, Foreign Minister
Simon was justified in reminding the
conference that Britain stood for the
total abolition of submarines or, fall
ing that, for a maximum OF $50 tons,
whereas the American plan permitted
a maximum Of 1900. -.,
Accommodation between the British
and American views, however. should
not be difficult. The serious opposition
comes from France, whose press has
adopted a hostile attitude toward the
Hoover scheme and countered 1t with
he threadbare cry OF security.
Joseph Paul -Boncour raises the queS-
ion of the attitude of America in the
event of a breach Of the Kellogg pact.
In regard to this, it is pertinent to re-
call that the Republican convention In
Chicago declared for an immediate In
ternational consultation, with the par
taken by the United States, in case OF
such a breach.
The disturbing fact is that French
resistance is likely to be fortified by
Japanese support. But whatever the
result. the windows have been broken
at Geneva and a breath of fresh air let
into the conference wnicn. though 1t
seemed moribund. has been brought
back to life and realities.
x X 4
Repercussions of this fact upon Lau-
same are important in view Of the plain
intimation from Washington that unless
Europe drasticaIly disarms, 1t is idle to
look to the United States for help in re-
gard to debts. France has moved far
on the subject o. reparations. She now
faces realities and probably viii accept
a settlement which she would have re-
fused to discuss six months ago.
Premier Ramsay MaeEerqld's powers
as negotiator exercised great influence
and pared the way for the momentous
meeting between Herriot and Chancel-
lor Franz Won Papen Of Germany on
Friday afternoon. In this matter Brit
ain has given a strong lead to the con-
ference. Neville Chamberlain's decIara-
tion in favor of complete cancellation Of
reparations and war debts, in spite of
the fact that Britain has paid America
f200 100000 more than II has received
from its creditors, created an excellent
impression and strong hopes are enter
tained that Lausanne will reach q final
settlement on the problem.
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