Evening star., 1933-06-04
London Waits Conference
With Much Disquietude
BY A. G. GARDINER.

! LONDON. June 3-With the World
/ Economic Conference due to open in
London a week from Monday, the
/ omens of its success are not too pro-
| pitious.
/ There are two main causes of dis
quietude The one concerns the prob
| lem of the war debts and the other
| disarmament.
The war debt question is still un-
solved and the next installment Is due
! three days after the first session OF
the Economic Conference. The British
government is presented with the same
| dilemma as last December, when the
decision to buy time" was reached in
| the face of much opposition, within
the cabinet and without, and the pay
ment was made on account OF any
future settlement.
Hopes of settlement having been
disappointed, the question now IS
whether the British government should
buy more time. 1t was rumored early
| in the week that the cabinet had oe-
cided to leave the issue, to pay or not
| to pay, to a vote in Parliament but this
abrogation of responsibility by the
government never has been contem-
plated. What the cabinet will decide
in the matter is still an open question
and the subject of eager controversy.
On one side the proposal to default Is
strongly opposed on two grounds-hrst,
the effect of such course upon the
credit of the country and upon the
financial standards of the world; sec
ond, that the feelings of resentment in
America at default by Great Britain
would have an unfortunate influence
upon the Economic Conference.
On the other hand, it IS urged that
3.sA faI Hty
Roosevelt should take the initiative by
terminating payments on the old scale
forthwith 1t is argued that the mo-
mentary anger caused by such action
would soon give place to feeling OF
relief in America that We had saved
the President from the necessity of
making an unpopular decision himself,
and that the Economic Conference
would then have a better chance of
restoring the stability of currencies and
freer flow of trade.
The other factor affecting the Lon
don conference Is the three weeks ad-
journment of the Disarmament Con-
ference at Geneva without decisions
being reached which President Roose-
welt specified as a necessary prelimi-
nary to the success of the Economic
Conference. Much disappointment is
felt at this delay in implementing dis
armament. and the government here
is criticized for the hitch which has
occurred on the subject of the use of
air bombs for police purposes. I un-
derstand this question has been the
occasion for a sharp disagreement in
the cabinet Wednesday night there
were persistent rumors that Sir John
Simon had resigned as foreign sec
retary because Of his disagreement with
the policy of the cabinet, which had
eliminated in the visit of Lord Lon |
donderry, air minister, to Geneva to |
convey the decision that Britain would |
abide by her demand that the air |
bomb weapon be retained for police |
use in remote and uncivilized regions. |
Simon's resignation was authorita-
lively denied on Thursday, but 1t is |
notorious that he is acutely opposed to
a policy which. in the phrase of the |
London News Chronicle. threatens to
bomb the Disarmament Conference. |
Responsible opinion is strongly against
the government in the matter, and |
even the London Times, usually the |
most faithful supporter Of the govern
ment, boldly attacks the idea that the |
work of the Disarmc m ut Conference
should be held up on account of the
British claim to use of the air bomb,
however well justified have been the
method and purpose Of its employment
hitherto.
1t is difficult to reconcile Stanley 7
Baldwin's recent alarmist speech In re-
gard to the air bombs menace to civil
ization with his present unyielding at
titude on point which threatens to
destroy the most favorable chance Of