The Lamar register., 1920-06-09
WASHINGTON NOTES
Make America Pay

Washington, June THE underly-
ing purpose Of the league Of nations
was to fasten upon the United States
the cost and responsibility Of main
tanning the new geographical lines in
Europe as delineated by the Versailles
treaty, and practically to compel Ger
many to live up to her obligations in
that undertaking, including the pay
ment of huge indemnities to the al
lies. The United States Senate refus-
ed to make this country a party to
any such arrangement, and with its re-
fusal went the hopes of Europe that
its troubles could be convenitntly un-
loaded upon America.
But the European scheme for the
exploitation of American resources and
man power by no means was abandon
ed when the Presidents failure to CO.
cree the Senate secame apparent. 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 Englishman, Keynes,
wrote book in which he boldly stat
ed that the sole solution Of European
econmic difficulties was the cancella-
tion of the $4,000, ,0O0, 900 debt owed
by those countries to the United
States. The proposal was received
with contempt on this side Of the wa
ter, and it became necessary to find
another solution less likely to arouse
American spposition-
Thereupon L financial conference
was called to meet ut Hythe in Eng
land, and the whole question Of Ger
,man indemnity and allied debts was
gone over. II was recognized that
Germany can make little progress now
in furnishing cash reparation. so it
was suggested that German bonds be
distributed in the proportion of in
demnity allotment. France was to get
about 55 per cent. England rs per cent
and Belgium and other countries less
amount. With the bonds in hand there
was to be a general exchange, accord
ing 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 pay
ment Of about $4,000, ,OOO. 900 and as
much interested in forcing that coun-
try to live up to its obligations as il
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 mean
time, of course, the allies would be free
of their financial obligations to us.
The proposed Armenian mandate
was another scheme, contrived by the
same forces that controlled the Hythe
conference, to put upon the United
States responsibilities substantially the
same as those contained in the lague
Covenant. Under it we would have
furnished an army of unknown pro-
portions and at huge cost, but of suf-
ficient size and sufficiently supplied
to put down the Turks and bolsheviks
which are at this moment surrounding
Armenia and harassing its people.
Mandates are an invention Of the
league of nations, and countries ac-
cepting them must make reports to the
league and be subject to its control.
Hence, in accepting an Armenian man.
date the United States would have
placed itself under the power Of the
league in much the same way as if
the Senate had agreed to the unamend-
ed covenant.
Everything that emanates nowadays
from European diplomatic circles is in
one form or another an attempt to
draw the United States into sharing
of war burdens now borne by Old