LEADERS TO MEET

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1933, Page 5

LEADERS TO MEET

tI.S.A. AND ENGLAND

TRADE AND DEBTS QUESTION.

(United Pr°ss Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, April 5

“The Times’ ” Washington correspondent telegraphs that, “at last, President Roosevelt and Mr Ramsay MacDonald are to meet, and to try to repair the broken world together. President Roosevelt’s statement to-day declared that in the course <yf au i* l ' formal exchange of views between the British and ourselves, regarding the general economic situation and the problem ef disarmament, the President has felt that a visit to Washington by the British Prime Minister would be helpful. The President repeatedly since the election, has remarked that Air MacDonlad is an old, friend who would vastly prefer to deal personally with him.

The meeting will, take place and upon what liapens there depends not only the fate and the location of the International Economic Conference, but also whether there will be any such conference at all. The President wants Anglo American accord, and, if possible, Ang 10-F re n eli -Ameri ca n accord in advance on the international economic questions, He wants the war debt question to- wait on the larger issues, and, above all, he wants to have a talk with Mr MacDonald, The United States Administration’s foreign policy, as thus far disclosed, contains the following points;—

(1) A preliminary meeting at Washington of the representatives of certain Class A powers, to prepare for a world economic conference.

(2) A grant of power from Congress t 0 the administration, in advance, to make effective international -trade agreements and also to defer war debt payments due on June loth next, if these agreements have not been concluded and Congress was adjourned before that instalment date.

(3) The suspension until next session of Congress of any effort to Have the United States join the world court, for the cessation of activity on the Far Eastern question until these matters' have been' adjusted.

(5) The blending of the war debts and of with other economic problems.

If Europe can be persuaded to do that, then whether an official Economic Conference, as well as a preliminary one, will be held at Washington is up to Mr MacDonald. If he wants to keep it in London, and to preside over it, that will he' done. If he should join the indicated French movement to transfer the main conference to Washington, that may be agreed upon.

THE INVITATION TO MR MACDONALD.

(Received this day at 10.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, April 6. A formal invitation to Mr MacDonald to visjt Mr Rooseyelt was handed to the British Ambassador to-day.

WORST OF DEPRESSION OVER.

CONDITIONS IN AMERICA

LONDON, April 5. * At a meeting of the Cunard Coy., Mr Percy Bates said President Roosevelt’s speeches afforded firmer ground for, the belief that the worst of America’s depression had passed. He looked forward with greater confidence that at any other time in the last two years 'to a general recovery in world affairs.

It has bepn provisionally arranged for Mr MacDonald to pay a brief visr: to President Roosevelt at Washington, at Easter, to discuss the World Economic Conference, and probably also exchange preliminary views regarding war debts. Air MacDonald sails on the Bierengia on April 15. The “Daily Telegraph” understands that the decision to visit President Roosevelt is the outcome of a further disappointing talk with Mr Davis on Monday, and even more disappointing reports from Washington regarding the June waff debt instalment. Air MacDonald holds that a- heart-to-heart talk with President Roosevelt is the most practical method of preventing a deadlock regarding war debts, which could easily jeodardise the Economic Conference,