The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-06-10
X AMERICA
THE WORLDS GOAT

The underlying purpose of the
league of nations was to fasten upon
the United States the cost and re-
sponsibility of maintaining the new
geographical lines in Europe as de-
lineated by the Versailles treaty, and
practically to compel Germany to
live up to her obligations in that I'M
dertaking, including the payment of
huge indemnities to the allies. The
United States refused to make this
country a party to any such arrange
ment, and with its refusal went the
hopes of Europe that its troubles
could be conveniently unloaded upon
America.
But the European scheme for the
exploitation of American resources
and man power by no reans was
abandoned when the Presidents fail
ure to coerce the senate became ap-
parent. On the contrary, fertile
minds in England and France cast
about for other means by which to
shift the burdens of the Old World
upon the United States. The English
man, Keyes, wrote a book in which he
boldly stated that th1 sole solution of
European economic difficulties was
the cancellation of the SO, 900, 900. 900
debt owed by those countries to the
United States. The proposal was re-
ceived with contempt on this side of
the water, and it became necessary to
find another solution less likely to
arouse American opposition.
Thereupon a financial conference
was called to meet at Hythe in En-
gland, and the whole question of Ger
man indemnity and allied debts was
gone over. 1t was recognized that
Germany can make little progress
now in furnishing cash r~eparation, so
1t was suggested that German bonds
be distributed in the proportion of
indemnity allotment. France was to
get about 55 per cent, England 25
per cent and Belgium and other
countries a less amount. With the
bonds in hand there was to be a gen.
eral exchange, according to the debts
owed by one country to another, and
England, France and Belgium would
all turn over to the United States
German bonds in amounts equal to
the sums owed by those nations to
US.
The outcome would find the United
States looking TO Germany for the
payment of about $40, 900. 900, 900 and
as much interested in forcing that
country to live up to its obligations
as If we had signed the league of
nations covenant. In all likelihood
we would have the alternative in the
future Of going to war again with
Germany or losing the entire amount.
In the meantime, of course, the al
lies would be free of their financial
obligations to us.
The proposed Armenian mandate
the same forces that controlled the
Hythe conference, to put upon the
United States responsibilities sub
stantially the same as those con-
tanned in the league covenant. Under
1t we would have furnished an army
of unknown proportions and at huge
cost, but of sufficient size and suf-
iciently supplied to put down the
Turks and bolsheviks which are at
this moment surrounding Armenia
and harrassing it's people. Mandates
are an invention of the league of
nations, and countries accepting them
must make reports to the league and
be subject to it's control. Hence, in
accepting an Armenian mandate the
United States would have placed
itself under the power of the league
in much the same way as il the
senate had agreed to the unamended
covenant.
Everything that emanates now