Evening star., 1936-12-20
President May Tackle Eu.
ropean Peace Problem.
BY OVEN L. SCOTT.

Will the measure of success and ac-
claim that resulted from his journey 10
South America tempt him now to try
his hand openly in the broader field Of
European and Far Eastern affairs?
Some of the confidential letter services
out of Washington are saying that Mr..
Roosevelt intends to make splash on
the world stage even more dramatic than
that Just made in this hemisphere. They
talk of a new world peace conference to
be called by him as means of diverting
other nations from their trend toward
war. This point of view is reflected in
the Department of State.
The idea is that the American people
could be sold on this project as method
of avoiding the trade disruption and the
threats to peace at home that would fol-
low conflict abroad.
But, so far as can be learned, that
line Of thought is at least premature.
Previous trial balloons-such as the pre-
election report that Mr.. Roosevelt
planned to hold round table conference
with Stain, Mussolini, Hitler. Blum and
Baldwin-showed that neither the coun-
try nor Congress was in q mood to be-
come involved in the European mess.
Rather, most of the evidence to be
gathered in sources other than the State
Department suggests that the President
and his advisers, as we'll as the leaders
In Congress, are thinking more in terms
of a large measure of isolation from
Europe and Asia than in terms OF
American leadership in world affairs.
Thus: The latest Pan-American Con-
ference is seeking a basis for an Amer
ican bloc of nations that might gradually
swing its center of gravity away from
Europe. However, little more than a
gesture in that direction is possible now,
owing to the close economic ties that
some South American nations have with
European nations.
Congress is in a mood to enact neu-
trality legislation stringent enough to
have a real effect on foreign trade in
the event Of an important war abroad
Further, President Roosevelt is in favor
Of laws that would hamper the flow Of
foreign funds in and out OF this market.
Study is being devoted in the Depart
ment Of Agriculture and in some other
agencies to new scheme for compensat-
ing groups in the population. such as
| cotton growers and workers in export
| industries, who would suffer from an
embargo On exports that might be ap-
| piled in the event of general foreign
| war. The idea is that 1t would be
| cheaper to subsidize these groups than
| II would be to trade and take a chance
on being drawn into the fighting.
There Is strong pressure to pull out Of
the Far East gradually, letting the
! Philippines take care of themselves once
they are turned loose, or doing little
| to defend them even If the present
independence plan should be altered.
But offsetting these evidences Of a
nationalistic policy are other evidences
| that the President is not ready to give
up the idea of internationalism, or OF
| the chance to change the direction of
world affairs by the use of the prestige
and economic power of this Nation.
x*E
Thus: Mr.. Roosevelt is going along
| with Cordell Hull, Secretary Of State. and
| Henry Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture,
| on their program of reciprocal trade
agreements which are aimed at re-
| duction of tariff walls A trade agree
| ment with England is under study. with
the negotiation stage reported to be not
| far away.
The administration Is willing to talk
war debt settlement with the European
! debtors, who are beginning to show q
| flicker OF interest in a readjustment Of
| these obligations Until those debts are
| out of the way. this country's vast capital
resources will remain pretty much
| closed to foreign borrowers, because of
the johnson act.
A Navy is being built on scale that
suggests some other purpose than mere
defense Of the coast line. Plans now
being followed out through large ex-
| penditures will give the United States
a sea power second to none. Actually,
the Navy Department is most favored
among the numerous branches of Gov
ernment.
President Roosevelt is known to be
interested in projecting his personality
| and prestige on broader world stage,
believing that success Of his domestic
| policies will depend on continued peace
abroad Anything that can be done to
| check the trend toward war adds to the
chance of q successful second admin
iStration.
Yet, in spite of these considerations,
| the weight of opinion is that a strong
isolationist sentiment among the people
| of the country will cause the Senate to
be cool toward any presidential ventures
in Europe.
| As a matter Of fact, the isolationists
thought for time this past week that
they had acquired an important new
recruit in the parsonage of one OF their
most determined former opponents
Their excitement grew out of a reading
Of an address by Secretary Wallace.
The Secretary of Agriculture, who has
strongly opposed isolation and strongly
favored q rebuilding of European trade
suddenly said:
1.-THE farmers are disillusioned about
Europe and the Geneva League because
they feel that both are symbols Of war
but they like the idea Of increasing CO.
operation among the American republics
I do, too. but I think farmers and the
| rest of us should count the cost and be
willing to pay a small part Of It,"
The cost, he explained, would be q
severe loss of markets abroad, since
South America is more Of competitor
than q customer of the United States
The nations on that continent take only
10 per cent of this country's farm ex-
ports while the five countries of Europe
and Asia that are most likely to be
involved in any future war buy more
than two-thirds Of total farm exports
from the United States.