Evening Post. FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1931. BRITAIN'S RESPONSE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 149, 26 June 1931, Page 8

Evening Post. FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1931. BRITAIN'S RESPONSE

"Weak but making many strong" is an adaptation of a familiar phrase of St. Paul's which fits the latest deliverance of a man who presents much the same contrast between physical weakness and spiritual strength. Physically the victim of a painful malady, it was against his doctor's orders that Mr. Snowden made his first appearance in the House of Commons, after a long absence, in order to present his Budget, and we may be sure that the same resolute insubordination was needed to enable him to be in his place again and make the statement reported yesterday. The effort must have cost him deal', but when he realised next morning that for millions of anxious readers all over the world it was by far the most cheerful item in the day's news he may well have felt that the price was not too heavy. We will not credit Mr. Snowden with an inspiring "gesture," because there is a suspicion of the theatrical and even .of the insincere in that hackneyed term which makes it peculiarly inapplicable to him. With their Celtic temperaments and their emotional eloquence, both Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald and Mr. Lloyd George are far more apt to talk about gestures and to execute them than Mr. Snowden, and as President Hoover is just as unskilled as Mr. Snowden himself in "that glib and oily art, "To speak and purpose not," we regret that Mr. Snowden, of all people, should, have described the President's great act of statesmanship as a "great gesture." But it is, of course, clear that nothing but a compliment was intended, and whether Mr. Snowden's own speech may or may: not be aptly described as an inspiring gesture there was undoubtedly, inspiration in it. It has, indeed, been reserved for the unemotional Mr. Snowden to make the first really adequate reply to the proposal of the unemotional Mr. Hoover, which was welcomed by Lord Brentford, notorious as the toughest of die-hards, under the title of "Jix," as "the best news he had had for many years," and by the Liberal "News-Chronicle" as "the most important event since the Armistice." Mr. Mac Donald, who naturally had the first word to sayon the matter, and usually is at his best in putting a little feeling and colour into the formal courtesies which often embarrass more coldblooded people, somehow or other missed the mark on this occasion. It is true that he stated that the Government "subscribes wholeheartedly to the principle of the President's proposal," yet he did not give the impression that his heart was in it, perhaps because his emphasis on the Government's approval of the .principle suggested that there might be .insuperable difficulties in the application of it. Nor was there anything to indicate a due appreciation of the unique and momentous character of the step that in apparent violation of one of America's most firmly settled convictions the President had taken. But the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made ample amends for any disappointment that may have been caused by the formal statement of his chief. He had realised that it was a great occasion, that to miss the chance which President Hoover had offered would be a great disaster, and the delay in the full acceptance of it would be tantamount to rejection; and with no attempt at the fine language which is not congenial to him he succeeded in conveying that impression.

The more consideration we give to the President's declaration, saia Mr. Snowden, the more it sems to us that, having ! regard particularly to the history of the matter, that declaration constitutes a very great gesture on the part of the United States of America, and it will be a thousand pities,if Europe does not respond to it in the same spirit. The beneficial effect of the proposal may be lost unless steps are taken by all the countries, concerned to give it prompt and practical effect. ... We agree with the view expressed by the United- States Government that there is no time for a conference. A more prompt method must bo found, for putting into operation the proposal of the United States Governmont for a complete and immediate suspension of German payments to> creditor i Governments.

There is an unmistakable ring of sincere and earnest purpose in'this simple ianguage, and at the same time such a hundred per cent, acceptance of the President's proposal as must surely have been welcomed with a hundred per cent, satisfaction hi Washington. But,'though the proposal is general in its terms, the essence of the matter/is, of course, in the financial difficulties of Germany. It was the peril of Germany and its menace to the security of the world that prompted President Hoover's intervention, and -we were told yesterday that the reason for his unfortunate omission to consult France before taking action was that the sudden imminence of disaster in Germany had forced his hand. This explanation rests on a surer foundation than the "Morning Post's" interesting story of a Soviet plot, for it has been officially tendered by the American Ambassador in Paris to the French Premier as ihc reason for

the apparent discourtesy, and what, looked like a solid French grievance has thus been removed, or at any rate reduced.

Though France is now of the essence of the problem just as much as Germany, Mr. Snowden wisely left France entirely out of his speech, except insofar as she was necessarily covered by his general language. Regarding Germany, he declared the policy as follows:—

The procedure which we would favour is that creditor Governments should, forthwith notify the Bank for International Settlements that they agree to the proposal for a suspension for one year of all German payments duo to them. The decision, of course, does not rest with us alone, and we are awaiting the views of other creditor Governments, but we hope it may be possible to sccuro an agreement on these lines as soon as possible.

In the opinion of the British, as of the United States, Government, the suspension of these payments must be complete and universal, and it is very good news that Italy, which had been supposed to be hesitating, has taken the same view without reservation. But France's exception of Germany's unconditional payments under the Young plan from her acceptance of the American proposal creates an impasse from which no escape has yet been suggested.

Britain, on the other hand, is going beyond the letter of the bond in offering to extend to the Dominions and India the same concessions which foreign countries are receiving. A generosity which will cost the British taxpayers about £11,000,000 is worthy, as Mr. Baldwin says, of "the dignity and the reputation of our country." It will also suit the Dominions, which, though only one or two of them have been as badly hit as the Mother Country, fully share the conviction of France that it is more blessed to receive than to give. That text of St. Paul to which we have referred, "poor, j(et making many rich," has its application to the splendid generosity of Britain which her intolerable burdenfc are quite unable to abate.