Evening star., 1933-08-04
Secretary Hull's Return.

IepOTCuS 70 FIeSlQcnL ROOSEVELT al
Hyde Park tomorrow. will resume his
duties at the State Department. The
modest Tennesseean would be the last
to claim that he returns from the
London Economic Conference laurel
crowned, yet by general consent Of all
observers there, American and foreign
alike, such honors as emerge from that
ill-starred affair are his. In assuring
Judge Hull OF continued confidence and
esteem, as Mr.. Roosevelt Is sure to do,
the President will voice the country's
sentiments.
It fell to Secretary Hulls lot to
render two distinct services at Lon
don. In the flrst place, he saved the
conference from premature collapse
early In July, when 1t was headed for
the rocks, as the result Of President
Roosevelt's unexpected reversal Of policy
on currency stabilization. That was no
easy achievement, In the mood into
which the bombshell from the cruiser
Indianapolis plunged the perplexed
conference. Yet the earnestness and
sincerity with which Secretary Hull
pleaded for continued consideration Of
other subjects persuaded his colleagues
that the cause Of world economic re-
covery could not and should not be
abandoned just because one important
phase Of the problem proved mo-
mentarily unbeatable. The conference
went on.
When conditions finally determined
the inevitability Of recess it was the
valedictory pronounced by Secretary
Hull that led the conference to stack
arms not In hopelessness, but In an
atmosphere Of confidence that many of
the results unattainable this Summer
will come within the realm of accom-
plishments later on. I'VE must 60 on"
said Judge Hull. I'VE will not quit"
On all hands, even those which had
not heretofore been conspicuously CO.
operative, there was significant acclaim
Of the Secretary of States indomitable
purpose.
That Judge Hull, as far as in his
power lies, will utilize the recess period
to harmonic viewpoints which proved
rreconcilable at the first attempt may
be taken for granted. He emerges from
that effort no doubt full Of personal dis
appointment, yet as Enthusiastically with
heightened personal prestige. He now
becomes the logical leader Of the drive
to carry on from the point where Lon
don left of. He has abandoned no lot
or little Of his theory that self-centered
nationalism is the root of the worlds
economic woes. He realizes that emer-
gency conditions both In the United
States and many other countries have
given the old system Of every nation
for itself necessarily longer lease of
Life than might otherwise have been
the case. But in the long run, and
that Is the sphere to which real states
manship dedicates itself, the Hull doc
trine Of economic internationalism-
based on q recognition of nations in
terdependence-is bound to come into
its own. 1t may be long and an up
hill struggle, but Cordell Hull is en-
listed for the duration of the war. His
fellow countrymen welcome Secretary
Hull back home and bespeak for him an
abundant measure of achievement in
the laborious task to which he now sets
his hand.
Causes notoriously beyond its own
control initiated against the American
delegations success at London. From
the outset it was handicapped by in
adequacy Of preparation, lack of au-
thority and changing points of view at
Washington. A smaller man than its
chairman would have lost heart amid
such distractions. It will stand to his
everlasting credit and to the credit of
his country that Cordell Hull weathered
the storm and came out OF it with the
augmented regard Of all concerned.