The Washington herald., 1920-02-18
Treaty American Instrument
But No American Is on Council;
Dodge Peace Forced on Others

could not be delayed. much less
stopped, the central empires of
Europe threw up the sponge and
offered to make peace and lay down
their arms. This seems to me impor-
tant. not upon the terms offered by
Clemenceau or by Lloyd George or
oy Orlando. the leaders of the
principal entente powers. but upon
the terms drawn up and offered by
the President of the United States
ana the resulting armistice was
based upon these American-inspired
terms.
Germany accepted the armistice
SO based. because under il and the
pubIlcly-proclaimed policies Of the
PRESIDENT. which Congress had ap-
piauded and approved by votes. an
american would sit upon the repara-
lons committee. an American would
SIT with the commission governing
the Rhine provinces and an Amer
lcan would sit on the Sarre COM
mlttee selected by the league Of
nations to govern this vital coal
pasln. To-day il requires no flashes
/ OF the radio compass to see that
the American treaty is signed. with
| notifications. it is true. but the
most radical departure from Justice
has passed unnoticel
Americans Arc Absent.
The treaty is an American in
Strument. but no American sits upon
". and IL certain powerful Senatork
mad their way, no Aerican would
be permitted to interpret its pro-
visions. For the present. II is in
terpreted and enforced by the very
statesmen who fought many of its
most important provisions and who
have not and with reason, given
up the night as lost as yet Under
these circumstances, l would not
dare to venture an answer to the
question which history will put to
i'those who survive, the question
winch some people even today in
the light of the radio flashes from
Paris, arc asking themselves. 1t
Is this: In view of the new and
changed conditions. can Germany h.
held justly by this instrument: doc-
II bind her legally and moraIIvo
physically. of course, she is bound.
Her head is in the moose and her
/ ieet are in the stocks. Unfortu-
natcly, in this plight. she cannot
earn the reparation money. which
/ Is SO necessary to France. indeed.
to the whole allied and associated
world. so bound together BY inter
| locking debts.
Clock Room Story.
The last illuminating flash by which
l seek to read the present and fore
cast the future dangers. came in mid
January, when tragic scene was wit
messed in the historic Clock room of
the French foreign office by a few
VINO did and by a great number who
did not understand its Importance. On
TINS memorable day the league of ma
uons. the noblest offspring of the
world war. was brought to the chris
tenlnS font. not by its spiritual par
ents' or by its duly authenticated
sponsors IN baptism. but by strangers
into whose hands the unfortunate
foupdllng had passed. II also CHANGED
that these strangers were the enemies
J OF the league and would be, if they
could be. the destroyers of the cove
nant in the form that it was con-
ceived and in the form that il is ap-
proved by the great majority of the
American people. At this strange
christening party President Wilson
was not present. the American gov
ernment was not represented, from the
new world only the Ambassador of
Brazil was seen.
At this strange first meeting of the
league, Mr.. Leon Bourgeois was cleo
ted to preside and direct the course OF
the deliberations that are soon to be
translated into action. This is the
same NJ. Bourgeois who fought
throughout the formative period for a
,militaristic league with an interna-
tional army to do its bidding, and an