Evening star., 1932-11-13
Unchanged Fc--cign Policy.

forecast Of American foreign policy
under Democratic control of the Gov
ernment In both the executive and legis-
| lative branches. According to this look
| into the future, which rests upon the
authority of Democratic leaders who
will be intimately concerned with in
| teInational relations, no fundamental
changes in this countrys attitude toward
outstanding world problems is contem-
plated. In other words, if events turn
out as foreshadowed, the United States
is about to exemplfy that It, too. as has
long been the custom among other first
class powers. is believer in continuity
of foreign policy. It is about to be DEM
onstrated that even the most sweeping
domestic political revolution in modern
American history does not denote any
break in the Nations program for con-
ducsing its external afT2i19.
Continuity of foreign policy has from
time Immemorial been q traditional and
cardinal aspect OF British public life.
Differences between Conservatives and
Liberals from the earliest Victorian days
ended at the waters edge, as British
statesmen long have been fond of boast
ing. Disraeli and Gladstone. Salisbury
and Rosebery, Balfour and Asquith, and
all the other respective Tories" and
Radicals" who interrnittently occupied
the prime minister's residence at No. 10
Downing street. were generally miles
apart on bitter internal issues Ike free
trade, land laws, home rule, the budget
and the like. But their disputes and
antagonisms vanished when it became
desirable to present a united British
front to Europe. America, Africa or
Asia. The voice of the foreign office,
no matter what the complexion Of the
government of the day, became auto
matically the voice of Britannia It was
not until the Labor party first took
Office in 1924 that notable breach was
driven in the ancient system CT eubordi-
mating domestic politics to the empires
International interests. Today Ramsay
Macdonald Is at the head Of a British
government that once again speaks
abroad for all parties.
As the Republican party has con-
Quoted American foreign relations unin-
terrupredly for the past twelve years, the
Democrats will pay it no small tribute
in adhering to the policies consistently
pursued by the Harding, Coolidge and
Hoover administrations. It will crafty
the country to observe, as time goes on,
that in respect of such matters as non
recognition of Soviet Russia and of
Manchukuo, there is to be no departure
after March next from the basic
principles which have actuated the
on those issues. There is no intention
Of taking this country into the League
of Nations, either through the back,
the front, or a side door. Even the
prospective and tardy entry of the
United States into the World Court,
long advocated by bipartisan group
in the Senate, would not denote, as It
never did, any abandonment of Amer
lean opposition to membership in the
League. Adherence to the Court proto-
col has been blocked hitherto by q
handful of Republican isolationists, who
will not prevail In the new Senate. That
Democratic predominance in Washing
ton will mean no change in Americas
infiexible support of the Monroe Doc
trine, and all it connotes, goes without
saying.
Two international issues Of imminent
importance will command attention
soon after Gov. Roosevelt assumes the
presidency and the Democratic Con-
gress Is enthroned-debts and disarma-
ment. Europe apparently has little to
hope for in the form Of debt revision at
the hands of the new Washington re-
gime. President Roosevelt will take
ofice on party platform that was cate
gorically opposed to cancellation. While
it did not close the door to revision,
revision Of the debts downward would
mean partial cancellation. Public
opinion at the moment Is unquestion-
ably not prepared to consider even that.
But it would be premature to put down
as certain that under no circumstances
could public opinion be educated or led
into a different mood. Iron facts and
circumstances may dictate an eventual
change in an attitude that now seems
unalterable.
On disarmament the Democratic pro-
gram Is reported to be one Of continued
American favor Of any scheme designed
to rid the world Of excessive tax bur-
dens, but, as far as the United States
Is concerned, Democratic leaders indi-
cate that nothing would satisfy them
which in any way, shape or form under
mined the naval parity principle.
America is for limitation and reduc-
ton Of sea armaments, but always in
full consonance with the treaty ratios
fixed at Washington in 1922 and at
London In 1880, whereby proper mar
gin of battleship and cruiser strength
Is guaranteed to the United States
Navy, assuring 1t in those categories OF
ships equality with the strongest feet
afloat.
0rn rousnir,io,,s nroblern has been