The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-21
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT PUTTING
ATTENTION TO HOME PROBLEMS;
FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECONDARY

Bv BYRON PRICE
(chief Of Bureau, The Associated
Press, Washington)
The attitude of the Amer
lean government toward the
German crisis shows again
how fully the administration
is concentrating on affairs
at home, leaving inter
national considerations in
the background.
Under the Hoover administra-
ton, Germany's withdrawal from
the arms conference might have
spread shock and alarm in Wash
ington. President Hoover and
Secretary Stimson burned much
midnight oil studying the problem
of European harmony, convinced
It held the key to world recovery
and hence to American recovery.
Now the policy is one of watch
and-wait. Mr.. Roosevelt has put
himself on record as disappearing
the incorporation of Chancellor
Hitler, but Washington has shown
no great excitement. 1t is pre-
occupied with farm prices, bank
deposits, oil regulation.
Dog -Wagging Tail2
Even where domestic problems
overlap into the international
field-as most Of them do--the
tendency of many officials is to
regard the muddle abroad as
pretty hopeless, anyhow, and write
it off the books.
Administration statisticians
working on the currency question
have figured out that only 4 per
cent of American production and
consumption ever comes into con-
tact with the foreign money mar
kets, and need trouble itself about
foreign exchange rates.
One high authority, rejecting
suggestions that he American
dollar be stabilized against the
English pound, asks: why let the
four per cent tail wag the SO per
cent dog?"
That is one viewpoint. Those
who take the other argue that
it would be fairer to conclude that
SO long as the 4 per cent tail is
caught in the door. the rest of the
dog won't be Of much use.
The nternationalists point to
1914, when the devils brew was
churning in Europe, and the VIII
son administration adopted q
watch-and-wait program which It
had to abandon later.
1t is deep subject. In all its
ramifications 1t has put many grey
hairs into the heads Of a long sue
cession Of presidents.
Looking Southwark
So far as Cuba is concerned,
Washington again is feeling opti-
mistic. It started out with the
idea OF waiting and watching, but
at one time even the highest off
cials were losing confidence that
that would be effective.
In the current debt negotia-
tions. the British are making
determined attack on the watch
and-wait theories Of nationalism,
pleading in terms of work re-
covery, suggesting that if Euro
pean prosperity is promoted BY
debt reduction, the United States
will be greatly benefited.
These negotiations do not APP
pear to be making great progress.
Where do the reciprocal tariff
discussions fit into this picture?
Many in the corps Of foreign dip
lomats would like very much TO-
know.
But in this one field. Mr.. Roose-
welt has put great emphasis on
things international. He has in
vited the nations to sit down and
discuss how mutual concessions
can promote international trade.
There must be real reason for
this. Some of his friends believe
he has something in mind which
goes great deal further. and has
a much greater significance, than
surface developments indicate.