Evening star., 1933-06-20
MISTAKES AT PARLEY
LAID TO INEPTITUDE
OF u. S. DELEGATION
Continued From First Page. }

the last days Of the congressional ses-
sion the President deemed 1t unwise
to ask for this authority, but wireless
messages from the boat indicating that
the horizontal tariff cut was under
consideration were sent to Washington
and London.
Then 10 days elapsed. Hendrix Co
lin, the chairman Of the Economic
Commission of the conference, asked
all the delegations in a circular letter
to submit their suggestions for the
Agenda Committee.
Mr.. Chalmers, at Secretary Hull S
suggestion, prepared and submitted,
along with letter from the Secretary,
a memorandum which put the 10 per
cent horizontal cut into the hopper.
That was Saturday morning. Inside
the American delegation the members
and experts are divided upon the wis
dom of horizontal cut. Some one Of
the delegation probably tipped of the
fact that the memorandum had gone
to the Economic Committee.
There is no question that Secretary
Hull submitted the memorandum in
good faith, expecting 1t to be released
for publication on Monday and not on
Saturday. The reporters could not find
him Saturday night. The press associa-
tions in London picked up the story
for their Sunday editions.
On Sunday Senator Pittman, who Is
interested in currency stabiliZation
through the use of silver as an auxiliary
currency, read the story in the London
papers with astonishment and probably
with indignation. Other members OF
the delegation were out Of town Sum-
day, but the Senator considered it wise
to issue a formal disavowal for the
whole delegation, and the fat was In
the fire.
Senator Pittman's disavowal was as
casual as Secretary Hulrs submission
Of the memorandum.
In the meantime denial had come
from Washington of the story that the
United States was joining Great
Britain in stabilizing the dollar with
the pound. George L. Harrison Of the
Federal Reserve Bank left Saturday for
home. Norman Davis, the Presidents
peripatetic diplomatic alter ego, ap-
peared unannounced In London and
vanished over night.
The dollar began buck and wing
dancing all over the place. 1t was evi-
dent that the delegation from America
was out on the loose.
These minor accidents were the re-
suit not Of policy-not of dissension-
but divine gift Of ineptitude little
short Of sheer genius. Out Of the kind
ness Of his heart and in consideration
for his colleagues, and without ade-
quate secretarial guiding support, Secre-
tary Hull has moved here In London
sincere, honest, high-minded gentleman,
hesitating to dominate, not from lack
OF courage, but from excess Of courtesy.
He has been from the first only the
temporary leader, expecting to return
to the United States in the middle of
the conference, which may account for
the serious accidents In an environment
wherein accidents inexorably become
blunders.
The fall of the dollar in London is
somewhat due, though not largely, to
the fact that the British, who played
the diplomatic game for life and death,
cannot understand the easygoing way
and the casual slam-bang, slap-dash
diplomacy Of their American cousins.
But be that as it may, when things are
as they are and not as they should be,
then results will be what they must be
and not as we wish them.
Copyright, 1898. by North American News
paper Alliance. 1nc.)