The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-01-19
American Foreign
Policy FaIters
(copyr1ght BY Tho InteltSeneer)
BIZ DAVID LAw1ENCE,

WASHINGTON. Jan. 1s.-Prestden-
tlal politics. prohibition gloom on the
one hand and Joy on the other certain
reaction against the prscipitate hand
ling OF the socialists In the New lnrk
assembly, q vail Of distress from Cen
tral Europe where starvation and suf-
ferinE Is growing, plenty or tAlk-out
only tAlk-about q compromise on the
peace treaty. and rather loose conduct
Of foreign affairs owing TO the uncer-
talnty OF Americas position In the
council OF nations describes in gen
eral sense the state Of affairs IN the
national capital to-day.
No Direction or Atm.
Many interests are crowding pen-rnell
upon one another for attention In ooth
the executive and legislative oranchss $
OF the government but never did the
wheels OF progress seem TO oe so slug
SIsh, never so much without direction
or aim. The illness OF the President Is
happily passing but he Is not yet IN
administration. And as consequence
one finds the Department OF State re-
turning rather non-committal answers
on many questions on which America
tin. Perhaps the Far Eastern situation
Is q case in point. The attacks In con
gress that have been made on the pres
ence OF American troops In siberia nave
tended TO weaken the enthusiasm OF tne
government here in maintaining any
statue quo and the tendency has been
to let the Japanese have a free hand.
Their argument is That they must stop
the flow OF bolshevism toward their
own shores. But this hardly pleases
the persons. especially those in con-
gress, who dislike TO. see America SiF-
Ing 4 free hapi TO japan anywhere
Fa,tartnS Policy.
Yet the Dep. rtment Of state seems to
be powerlesS 20 express American pol
Scy IN the Far East H. .he most cautiuS
fer.se for IL IS m era OF sensitiveness IN
Whte~ .Ae department. seems unwilling
70 give congress something on whlcn 10
pounce In an. effort to discredit the
wc:.5 power policies Of the admlnistra-
neats % the league OF nations In taeiT
campa gn against the treaty.
Indeed. until the treaty Is ratified.
the value OF American foreign policy IL
tins and getunG few answers. Fiscal
policy Is In a certain sense bong neg
iected, too, fer the recent effort OF Eu-
rope to get some financial help from
the United States was killed BY the In
fluenees desirous OF exposing the al
legged partnership between the league
and the international fiuanctsrs. While
there II naturally tendency here TO
discourage tho notion which has exist, ,
ed In some quarters In Europe that
France and England and Italy have but
90 ask for funds and liml,less funds
viii be Forthcoming and while Il is do
islred here to simulate an awakening
Sanonf European peoples to the reces-
s!ty cs Industrial production. the ecrcct
hak been TO make our officials super
cautious and unreceptivc even 10 the
general idea OF picdginG financial sup
port
later on. when the treaty Is ratified d
and there doesn't prevail on every SIDE
a feeling that one must lean over BACK
wards in satisfying for the moment the
anti-European feeling that has been
bred in connection with the treaty tiShN
Il S quite probable that the whole ques-
ton will be discussed on rs meCi Is
anew. One thins is certain--loans by
cur government TO the Allies viii not
be made. but better ARRANGEMENTS Tor
the st,iuu!ation Cf foreign trade, COM
mercr and exchange arc Inevitable as
soon as the atmc sphere has cleared and
there IS less parttsanShip and more
br n',!h in the poin, of view OF all con-
cernCd
Al! the polls that have been taken or
the question OF a compromise on the
peace treaty seem 10 favor cnmpro-
mise The Portland (Oregon) journal
ard the Rochester On. " TiIneS-Cni ion
have recently conducted canNaSScS by
coupon which have attracted the 3tten-
overwhelming desire for ratification
with reasonable Interpretations. Tho
pon Of the colleges has had an impress
: We erfec; on Capitol Hill. The wheels
of compro.NtSe move slowly. But at
present writing II Toe Ks aS IL the whole
thing may be disposed OF In another
month or SIX weeks.