Evening star., 1932-07-17
Lausanne Agreement
Blunder Is DeplOred
BY A. G.. GARDINER.


responsible for the presentation OF the
Lausanne settlement to the British pup
lie blundered badly. In making Sc
cret of the so-called "gentlemen's S
agreement" the government managed
as the London Times says. to surround
with an air of furtivenesS perfectly
natural and honest precaution.
The effect of that blunder, in Gre
ating the suspicion in America that
secret diplomacy was at work 10 monll-
ize Europe against the United States
on the debt question, was universally
deplored That suspicion was aggra-
vated by publication of the Anglo
French accord and French Premier
Edouard Herriot's private speech I'M
plving that under that declaration
Britain will be unable in future 70
make debt payments to America Witt
out consulting France
This Interpretation OF the accord
coupled with Herriot's alleged claim
that the accord revived the entente
cordiale, evoked prompt action by Brit
ish Premier Ramsay Macdonald. A
statement was issued from Downing
street emphatically denying that the
accord is applicable to the question OF
British debts to America.
On this aspect Of the matter, Presi-
dent Hoover's letter to Senator boran
of Idaho. disclaiming the view that the
new European agreement Is for the pur-
pose of combined action by Americas S
debtors and welcoming the settlement
Of strictly European problems, clarllleS
the atmosphere on both sides OF the
Atlantic. For the first impressions Oh
the Anglo-French accord were Gus
uu!eting here as well as in America
1t created distrust on two grounds. nrSt:
it indicated something in the nature OF
a resurrection of the entente corolale,
and, second, it suggested rival system
to the League of Nations. Thls I'M
preston was supported by statements
attributed to Herriot, and the fact tnat
the new move emanated from France
and Britain lent color to these fears
Sir John Simon'S emphatic denial OF
these interpretations at Geneva has re-
lieved apprehensions on the subject
The British foreign minister denied noV
only that the agreement had reference
to American debts, but that 1t was an
exclusive Anglo-French understanding
and that it was inimical to the League
of Nations.
The fact that Italy and Belgium
have announced their readiness TO SUD-
scribe to the agreement and that the
German government is prepared 10 SUP
scribe on certain conditions reconclleS
the public to that view OF the agree
ment. which, I understand. was IN
itiated by Macdonald in an honest en-
deavor to help on the work OF Euro
pean appeasement. But while sus-
picions are removed, press comment
generally expresses doubt OF the Wis
dom of the move and fails to see now
it strengthens the machinery OF EURO
pean pacification already in existence
except perhaps as medium In prep
aration for the World Economic Con-
ference
Despite these cross currents, profound
satisfaction is felt that Lausanne mas
done two things-made an end OF tne
desolating reparations problem ana
cleared the decks for solution OF the
war debts problem. True, the settle
ment of reparations is provisional ana
dependent on ratification by france ano
Germany, the latter of which IS In the
midst of an incalculable election, but
none doubts that the curse which mas
bedeviled the world for a dozen years
has gone finally and irrevocably. And
the practical cancellation of repara-
tions has given Europe initiative In the
solution of war debts. -,
What ever the legalities may be-"
says the New Statesman. we snaH
not go on shipping gold year after year
to New York, as sensible Americans
realize. America will be put to the
choice of voluntarily cancelllng the
debts or seeing them repudiated."
X
1t Is clear that nothing can be done
on this issue while the presidential
election is in the balance, but emphasis
is laid in many quarters on the duty OF
European statesmen to make gen.
erous gesture by America possible by
drastic action in regard to disarmament
Such action would give America as
surance that Europe had really COM
posed its differences and ceased to be
a menace to world peace. In this con-
nection, the London Times refers TO
the new accord's object of securing an