Evening star., 1932-03-10
The Lausanne Conference.

For the declared purpose OF agreeing
upon "a lasting settlement" Of the
reparations problem. Germany and the
creditor nations of France, Great Brit
ain. Italy, Belgium and Japan will meet
at Lausanne in the month Of June. The
object of their conference is to adopt
measures necessary to solve the eco
nomic and financial difficulties which
are responsible for, and may prolong,
the present world crisis"
The half dozen governments con-
cerned are hopeful that their mere de-
cision to come to final grips with the
reparations issue will ease the inter-
national situation" Achieved in the
final hours Of his late government in
Paris, M Laval epitomized the arrange
ment Of the Lausanne Conference as "a
very good beginning" and one that
would contribute to the paciflcation OF
Europe and the world"
Although the reparation powers are
punctiliously careful to exclude any sug-
gestion of forming a common front
against the United States, everybody
knows that this countrys attitude to-
ward Lausanne's problem Is as impor-
tant from Europe's standpoint as any
single phase of the reparations ques-
tion. Whether we like it or not, Europe
looks upon reparations and war debts as
INTERVENING propositions.
Europe considers that the United
States itself demonstratively acquiesced
in that view last July, when President
Hoover launched his moratorium plan.
That whole project rested upon Amer
icas willingness to postpone 1931-1s32
debt payments due to the United States
Treasury in consideration Of a cor
responding concession to Germany by
her reparation creditors.
The Lausanne Conference is essen
TALLY in conformity with the Laval
Hoover communique, which set forth
that agreement among the European
powers must be a preliminary condi-
ton to any reconsideration of the war
debts to the United States. The then
French premier returned to Paris with
the tacit assurance that If Europe sue
cessfully took the initiative in repara-
ton readjustment the Hoover admin
istration on its part would urge Con-
gress to grant our European war
debtors a new period of leniency.
Tho ararapf eaccion Of Copuraee hoe
reflected an American public opinion
of more nationalistic hue than any
which has been witnessed since the
days when the Senate repudiated Wood
row wilson's work at Versailles. Anti
foreignism, if sentiment at the Capitol
is any criterion, is in little mood for
supergenerosity to abroad" Yet the
time is approaching-it is only three
months away-when the Government
and people of the United States are
likely to be faced by fateful, decision.
The Lausanne Conference will take
up its work on the basis of the report
made by the Experts Committee of the
Bank for International Settlements at
Basel The experts found in effect
that the continued payment Of repara-
tions by Germany under the Young
plan Is unthinkable. There can be little
or no doubt that the June meeting Of
the reparation powers will produce q
concurrence in that conclusion, and
readiness on their part to give the Ger
mans another moratorium period.
That this will be done in the ex-
pectation, more or less confident, that
the United States will be inclined to
vouchsafe debtor Europe commensurate
leniency is a foregone conclusion. The
issue sooner or later will be put squarely
up to us. At the moment we are con-
cerned almost exclusively with matters
of pressing economic Importance here
at home But it is not too early for
the Nations leaders, in and out Of Con-
gress, and for public opinion, to which
in the last analysis they will be re-
sponsive, to begin the process Of heart
searching which will presently be In
cumbent upon us.
What to do in the face Of Europe
undoubtedly - however reluctantly
prepared to repudiate, temporarily at
least, its obligations to the United
States Is the nut we shall have to
crack.