THE PRELIMINARIES

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 126, 24 November 1932, Page 13

THE PRELIMINARIES

ROOSEVELT AND HOOVER

NO RESPONSIBILITY

, WASHINGTON, 22nd November. A two-hour conference between President Hoover and the President-elect, Mr. F. D. Roosevelt, assisted by their advisers, at the White House to-day resulted in the issuance of a brief, noncommittal statement, merely setting out that war debt postponements had been discussed and "it was felt that some progress had been made."

The statement added that Mr. Hoover would meet Congressional leaders tomorrow.

Further official information regarding the conference was withheld, although it is understood that Mr. Roosevelt indicated he would not attempt to dictate to the members of his party what policy should be followed and that he would maintain his previously expressed attitude, that tho immediate responsibility rests with President Hoover and the present Congress. Rejection of the European pleas for extension of the war debt moratorium and no immediate revision after 4th March was indicated later as being the probable course of the United States Government. v

Neither tho President nor the Presi-dent-elect made any informative statement, but close associates who know their respective opinions view these as virtually certain conclusions as a result of the discussions.

That Mr. Roosevelt made no commitments on the foreign debt situation was definitely learned to-night. It was ascertained from a source close to Mr. Roosevelt that he barely participated in the actual discussions, and that most of the talking was done by Mr. Hoover and the Under-Seci-etary to the Treasury, Mr. O. I). Mills. '"'Mr. Roosevelt took tho position that the whole matter is up to the present chief executive," it was stated.

The Washington correspondent of the 'New York Times" says he learned that President Hoover will not recommend to Congress suspension of the debt payments, but will urge the recreation of the War Debts Funding Commission with a view to possible revision. Mr. Hoover and Mr. Roosevelt agreed against granting postponements. Mr. Roosevelt declined to support- or oppose a Debt Funding Commission. - Democratic observers interpreted this as an'indication that Mr. Roosevelt proposed to handle the debt situation as part of the general world economic programme he is contemplating.