Evening star., 1933-08-07

american opinion on the world ECO
nomic Conference at London centers
around the only fact that is mentioned
as outstanding-theo opportunity for the
nations of the world to gain a better
understanding of the points at which
they differ. Support and denial Of the
verdict of failure" come from various
sources. Some hold that it would have
been better if the conference had not
been held.
Not even those who came to praise
the conference, not to bury it." says the
the New York Times, were able to
point to any definite achievement" !"
That paper recognizes that Secretary
Of State Hull has been able to pluck
heightened reputation out Of the Ses-
sion." and that "he has been through
out consistent and high-minded. The
Times concludes: Under brighter eco
nomic skies, and by means of quiet dip
lomatic negotiations and trade and
financial agreements, it may yet be pos
sible to do good part of the work
which the Economic Conference itself
was compelled to drop, unfinished"
There is probably a better feeling
among nations-and Europe was indulg-
ing in a war scare shortly before the
delegates assembled" thinks the Oak
land Tribune, observing that ''the dele
gates have had rather thankless job"
and 'in a measure they were criticized
for events, not for their lack of action"
The Tribune points out that "the
American recovery program made it i'm
perative for this country to refrain from
immediate steps to stabilize the cur
rencies." while "the tariff was so linked
with our home programs that we could
not approve the chief policy Of our
Secretary of State when he sought 10
per cent lowering of duties" The Oak
land paper states that 'the conference
did not meet the early hopes, but it
was not a failure"
Every effort contains some good
seed" AYERS the Columbia Is. c. State.
with the declaration that among those
delegates there must be dawning and
broadening conviction that no people
can reach its highest and noblest except
on basis of willing and understand
able cooperation with Others" The
Port Huron Times Herald offers the
summary: There is no doubt that the
nations learned some things about each
other. And it has not all been credit
able. Whether it has been failure will
depend upon the attitude and the spirit
of the nations. There's no reason why
something may not be done at later
date. after We have all thought it over
little more"
Brave words have been said over
the bier of the conference" comments
the Houston Chronicle, with the feeling
that perhaps some good has been done
by it, and perhaps some of the salvage
of the wreck will prove valuable" AS
a reason for the failure, that paper
declares: "T'he time had not come when
the various nations, especially the
Init fol OF ho1 In
ternal affairs to such a state of stability
that they were in any position to nego-
tiate permanent trade and financial
agreements" The Youngstown Vindi-
Gator supports statement from Secre-
tary Hull that much good has come
out of the meetings, and they drew the
nations closer together. even though
they could not agree on any plan OF
action" The Altoona Mirror asserts
that IF there had been nothing more
accomplished than mutual and SYM
pathetic understanding of the great
problems confronting all nations, the
results have justified the effort"
While conceding that from the point
prise was productive of much good,
the Chicago Tribune finds as an i'm
portant factor that mo acute appre-
hension Of panic followed as the dele
gates reached for their hats" On the
specific issues, the Tribune voices the
! judgment: Americans should know
from experience that the failure Of a
conference contains their highest proba-
BILE good. The Economic Conference in
London began to evaporate when Mr.
Ramsay MacDcnald's opening remarks
on the excluded subject of debt fell fiat
The breach of good faith only exposed
the real purposes for which the debtors
had convened with their creditor When
Mr.. Macdonald had been put in his