Evening star., 1937-04-11
L.. S. DODCES INITIATIVE
In PLANNING ARMS TALK
Roosevelt Feels Proposal From Amer.
lea Might Arouse Suspicious of
Italy and Germany
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

4 \AsA1AOXIANA AbN<SOC ELL HAS Ills
- own Col. House. Following the
practice Of President Wilson in
4 the early stages OF the World
War, he has intrusted Norman H.
Davis with the task Of exploring inter-
national situations in Europe and re-
porting facts and impressions direct to
the White House.
Mr.. Davis has the honorary title of
Amba bassador at Large. In fact, he is
the Presidents personal investigator
with courtesy title which enables
him to confer with foreign statesmen
with more authority than Col. House,
who went abroad simply as Mr. Will
sons friend. Ambassador Davis re-
ceives no salary; while on duty abroad
he merely gets compensation equiva-
lent to an Ambassadors salary.
Rowing Ambassador Davis is now in
London attending an apparently in
significant sugar conference. But he
carries full instructions from the
President regarding the possibility of
gathering at an early date some sort
Of international congregation to dis
cuss economic problems and limita-
ton Of armaments
The arrival of Mr.. Davis in London
naturally has caused a luttering in the
diplomatic dovecotes about just such
peace move on the part of the Presi-
dent, despite denials from the State
Department and the White House.
M Initiative hv r. 6
Literally, these denials are true. The
administration does not intend to take
the initiative for peace move in Eu-
rope. But Mr.. Davis instructions are
to discuss this problem with British
and French statesmen. He will sug-
gest that France or Great Britain
agree to start the ball rolling either
by proposing a revival of the limitation
OF arms conference at the next meet
ing at Geneva on May l, or through
an innocuous economic conference.
The ghost of the limitation of arms
conference, which died in the Summer
Of 1884, will appear in the peace castle
at Geneva on May l. AS things stand
now. the delegates will glance at the
ghost, shrug their shoulders and leave
Europe's peace capital expressing the
pious wish that some day disarmament
may become national policy of the
European nations.
President Roosevelt, who is greatly
concerned over the war clouds which
hang heavily over Europe has a diff
ferent thought. He feels that, not
withstanding the strain over the Span
ish situation and the increasing ten
sion in Central Europe, the demo-
cratic powers Of Europe should sum-
mon the courage to risk another dis
armament conference. They all take
a chance with war now, says the Pres
ident. Why should they not take a
chance with promoting peace? The
arms conference has had a three
year rest. During these three years
all the nations have embarked in the
maddest armament race the world has
ever seen. Most of these munitions
mad countries are on the verge of
bankruptcy-financialy and socially.
Decision Up to Others.
But the President is adverse to
having the United States take the
initiative. His reluctance is not due
to any motives Of internal policies.
He realizes that his administration
which can do nothing to patch up
the political quarrels between the
European states, might place itself in
an uncomfortable position by sum-
moning a disarmament parley 1t is
up to the governments who can, by
some decision or concession, smooth
the ruffled feelings of Germany and
Italy, to make the move The United
States would, through the whole might
OF its prestige and power, help to
make that conference a success.
There is another reason why the
administration considers it unwise
officially to take the initiative in lead
ing the world on the peace path. The
aggressive powers-Germany, Italy
and Japan-interpret this country's
neutrality as strongly sympathetic to
Europe's principal democratic states
Great Britain and France. Our rela-
tions with Japan, although somewhat
better than they were between 1881
and 1888, are still strained There
is an atmosphere of suspicion between