LAST GESTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 302, 21 December 1932, Page 7

LAST GESTURE.

HOOVER'S MESSAGE. WAR DEBT REVISION. Democrats Shying Away from Co-operation. ROOSEVELT'S POSITION. (United T.A.-Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 0.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 20. The Democrats are clearly shying away from active participation in President Hoover's pi'oposal for a commission for a review of war debts and have elected at Capitol Hill to let him go ahesd on his own initiative. Mr. Collier, chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said on Tuesday: "I am willing to have the Ways and Means Committee consider the message but I am confident it will not consider it favourably." He is opposed to Congress setting up any additional commissions to be appointed by President Hoover shortly before Ms retirement, but said that he had no objection to the President setting up "another of his own. lam confident this Congress is opposed to creating another Debt Funding Commission," lie added. Mr. Collier said the proposition would n|t he laid before his group for consideration at least until January. In the opinion of competent political observers here, President Hoover has made his last gesture regarding war debts revision, and the matter is now squarely before Mr. Koosevelt, the Presi-dent-elect. He must either accept the President's offer of co-operation in the formation of a bi-partisan semi-Congres-sional diplomatic commission, or, if he refuses, he must accept the full responsibility himself after assuming office on March 4. In- his Note to Congress, which even the Democrats admitted was a broadvisioned and sound paper, Mr. Hoover took ■ into full consideration Congressional aversion to sanctioning a debt commission. At the same time, he strongly reiterated the contention that he considers the matter serious and requiring-immediate attention. Will Roosevelt Co-operate? Tie general tenor of statements by Democrat leaders indicates that Mr. J Koosevelt will decline to co-operate. . Reports from Albany indicate that he still- favours negotiation through existing diplomatic agencies and will take no responsibility before his inauguration as President. Thus, Mr. Hoover must either on his personal initiative appoint a commission or withdraw from the matter. • Which course he will take is -problematic, but it iffTecognised that it is very doubtful if Britain, for example, would wish to enter into negotiations with a commission whose authority automatically terminates scarcely more than two months hence.

Mr. Hoover's method of linking debts to other phases of the world economic situation is generally approved in Congressional circles, where it is felt that the.nation should receive some concessions in disarmament and trade in. return for revision, but the Democrats felt that Mr. Roosevelt should assume no responsibility which might commit the party to a programme which later events might cause to be disapproved. They seemed willing, nevertheless, to let Mr. Hoover form a commission "to explore" the situation, reserving the right to act on the suggestions as they saw fit.

Mr. Hoover's mention of examination of the debt obligations of those nations which."sought to pay" is interpreted as meaning the smaller nations, such as Greece and Hungary, also, France, if she soon makes good her default.

It is generally agreed that Britain would be the first to benefit from any re-examination,

The Press generally approved of the message, a number of newspapers emphasising the necessity of dealing with all international and economic difficulties as well as debts. Many admit the difficulty of getting the complete cooperation of Congress, Mr. Hoover and Mr. Roosevelt, but view the message as a step in the right direction.