Evening star., 1932-06-21
GIBSON WITHOUT POWER.
Ambassador Not Authorized to Commit
U. S., Regardless Of Reports.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

According to high officials in Wash
abroad that Ambassador Hugh Gibson
had indicated to Edouard Herriot that
this country was prepared to discuss
war debts If the Euroean nations agreed
to q drastic reduction Of armaments
No such pledges can be given by the
American delegation at the Disarma
ment Conference, whose authority is
confined solely to see that some actual
result is achieved at Geneva regardless
of what Is happening at the raparations
parley at Lausanne.
Members Of the Senate who have been
acquainted with the reports coming out
Of Lausanne doubted that the President
had authorized Ambassador Gibson tc
give any definite pledges regarding the
linking OF the European reparations
problem with the debt cancellation
problem.
Sees Misinterpretati0n.
Senator David Reed. Republican, o!
Pennsylvania stated that the interpre-
tation of whatever statement Mr.. Glib
son may have made must have been
made in a positive form Of what Gibson
said negatively. 1t is possible, said the
Senator from Pennsylvania, that Mr.
Gibson in his conversation with the
French and the British representatives
should have mentioned the fact that
unless some drastic reductions were
made in the overburdened armament
budgets of the principal European ma
tions, this country would not consider
any reduction in the wAr debts.
Senator Borah would not comment
upon these foreign reports, but seemed
to think that before any one would
even consider taking up Rny PROPOSE
ton Of reducing or canceling the for
eign debts a clean slate must be made
first of the entire reparations question
and armament expenditure should be
cut to the bone.
Senator McKellar. Democrat. OF Ten
nessee stated that he was "unalter-
ably opposed" to cancellation OF wa,
debts. We have taxed our people
enough already. without further taxing
them for the benefit Of Europe
Senator Hiram johnson, Republican
of California said: The cancellation
of debts rests with the Congress OF
the United States. Whatever commit
ments may be made by any represent
ative of ours must ultimately be passed
upon by Congress"
Senator Moses Republican, OF New
Hampshire. said. Let them talk there;
We shall have to do the principal talk
ing here"
Senator Smoet. Republican, Of Utah
stated: Il am absolutely opposed to the
cancellation of debts
Dickinson for Cancellation.
The only opinion favorable to can
collation. was that Of Senator Dickinson,
Republican, Of Iowa. He said. Il have
been preaching for years that " We can
get the leading nations OF the wor ID
committed to a reduction of armaments
We can afford such a gesture as the
cancellation of all war debts. because
It will bring about world amity."
The concensus in well informed quar-
ters in Washington is that President
Hoover has not instructed the head OF
the American delegation at the arms
conference to make any pledges or even
vague promises regarding the cencella-
tion Of debts.
The only thing that Mr Gibson may
have been authorized to say to the for
eign prime ministers is that II they
have In the back of their minds to sug-
gest sometime during this year to the
United States a reduction Of war debts
their plea would not have any chance
of being heard either by the President
or by the United States Congress, un-
less some positive reduction in the arms
expenditure of Europe was made. Con-
sequently. 1t is reliably stated. Mr. Glib
son has urged the concerned powers to
do their utmost and proceed with the
disarmament conference in such man.
ner as to give some positive results
both in the reduction of manpower and
in their respective budgets.