Evening star., 1933-09-17
i. s. FOREIGN POLICY
HINGES ON RECOVERY
Diplomats Feel Roosevelt Will Not Let
Cooperation Interfere With
Prosperity Program.

| League conferences in which it partici-
pateS.
All this, however, involves not the
slightest intention on President Roose-
velts part. it is reported, to try to get
the United States into the League as
regular member or even to allow the
issue to be raised in any way in the
United States.
Owing to the uncertainties of the
recovery program, WashlngtonS foreign
commercial policy is believed to be
temporarily in abeyance. 1t is not clear,
for example. whether the United States
is going to b. able to reduce tariffs Or
! whether it will be obliged to raise them.
1t is equally unclear whether it will be
able in the near future to retain some
sort of multilateral commercial agree
ments or be gradually obliged to fall
back on bilateral reciprocity arrange
mentS.
Not Ready to Surrender Trade.
What seems sure is that while its
recovery plan may entail certain in
ternal agricultural and industrial re-
adjustments. the United States is by
no means ready to surrender its fair
share of world trade either in Latin
America or elsewhere.
What is true of the American COM
mercial policy is equally true of the
foreign monetary policy. 1t Is thought
that President Roosevelt still believes
that the best thing in the long run
would be a general agreement to re-
value all leading currencleS on the gold
basis at lower level than the former
par.
As long. however. as there is no
! Anglo American agreement on the fu-
ture dollar-pound ratio and as long
especially, as France and the gold bloc
refuse to discuss revaluation, there is
nothing to do but to wait, the more
so as President Roosevelt is thought to
believe that it is still too soon to stabil-
ize and revalue the dollar even by joint
agreement.
All this being so. the United States,
it is predicted, will not press for the
speedy reopening of the World Eco
nomic Conference.
May Leave War Debts to Debtors.
| In the matter Of war debts, it is be-
/ lieved that President Roosevelt is de-
sirous OF avoiding complications, both
| domestic and foreign. which might
ensue politically from an effort to force
| the problem either to a solution or to
default at the present time. American
/ opinion is said to be unprepared to
on the other hand. is the maximum
Great Britain and France are thought
to be ready to offer.
| If the worst came to the worst,
therefore, the United States, is is said,
might leave it to the debtors to take
| whatever action they like on the next
due date, December Is.
In a general way President Roosevelt.
! it is thought, is particularly desirouS
of good relations with all countries. He
may distrust the German developments,
but nevertheless is reluctant to involve
the United States in any sort of COM
mon action against Germany. He may
be disappointed at the failure of his
efforts to cooperate with France. yet
is indiSposed to make an unpleasant
issue of this failure.
He intends. it is confidently asserted.
to recognize Soviet Russia. but sees no
reason for urgency. He is believed to
diSapprove of Japans course in the Far
East, but is not convinced, it is said,
that the United States. single-handed,
should act as Asias policeman at the
cost possibly of involving the Americans
in war.
He wants to be good neighbor with
Latin America and at the same time, as
shown by the recent Cuban affairs, is
indisposed to surrender vital American
rights or interests there.
Finally, he is thought to be earnestly
desirous of cooperation with the Brit
ish Empire for the sake of both the
United States and world recovery. but
he realizes that sound bases for such
cooperation have yet to be negotiated.