FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 January 1933, Page 5

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

ATTITUDE OF U.S.A.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE,

Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright

AVASHINGTON, Thursday.

A brief announcement this morning that President Hoover had invited the President-elect, Air F. D. Roosevelt, to visit him on Friday morning, and word from New York that the invitation had been accepted, aroused a flood of speculation regarding important impending developments in foreign affairs, both as regards the war debts and the Far Eastern crisis.

, It is revealed that the Secretary of State, Air 11. L. Stimson, arranged the meeting, apparently considering that maintaining co-operation in foreign policy from the present Administration into the next is imperative. The best informed circles express the opinion that the war debts are the primary cause of the conference, although the matter is closely linked with the AVorld Economic Conference, upon which it is believed 'Air Hoover wants further elucidation of Air Roosevelt’s views, particularly regarding the time it should be called. b It is known that Air Hoover considers that stabilisation of the pound is of primary importance, although according to disptaches, British opinion favours holding it in abeyance pending a revision of 'the debts. This fundamental difference of opinion may develop into the cause of a serious stalemate.

Tiie conference will be held at White House at 11 o ’clock in the morning. Both Air Hoover and Air Roosevelt will have several advisers.

What will be said of the Atanchurian situation, if anything, is in no way intimated. It is pointed o-ut that Air Roosevelt has already reiterated the policies of the present Administration, and is not likely to take up a stronger position. This time there is no official or other reaction. Press reports from Geneva to-day state that charges will be brought against Japan of alleged fortification of the Pacific Island mandates, the Carolines, and Mariannes, contrary to the Treaty. The Washington correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune” reports that; the conference is for the purpose of arranging an early opening of the debts negotiations. “Air Hoover and Air Roosevelt find themselves in agreement that no time should be lost in seeking a solution of the debts problem,” he says, “and are hopeful of reaching a basis of action to permit debtor countries to present their case's before the change of Administration,”