Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-15
SAN REM0MEET|NG
.TOCONS|DER|SSUES
OF VITAL IMPORT
Results of Peace Conference
at Stake, Simonds
Says.
BY FRANK H. sIMoNDs.

BY FRANK H. SIMONDs.
1t Is certainly no exaggeration to
| say that the approaching conference
at San Reno may prove ono Of the
most important international confer
ences in cotemporary history The
decisions. or the lack Of decisions
that mark this council. which Is to
assemble In the sleepy and sunny
winter resort along the shore must
enormously influence international
affairs for many years to come.
The truth is unmistakable that all
of the work Of the peace conference
and much of the achievement in the
world war will be placed in jeopardy
unless Great Britain and France can
find basis Of agreement for the fu-
ture. and. as the positions Of the two
countries are now in absolute con-
f1ict. 1t Is very difficult to see how
any compromise can be found which
will at once reconcile French and
British policies and discourage the
German from future violations Of the
treaty.
For Americans become by the action
Of the United States Senate merely
spectators; 1t is still important to
appreciate the exact situation. 1t Ia
simple. At Paris a treaty was nego-
tiated which placed certain duties
obligations and responsibilities upon
the nations which signed it, and sub
seauently ratified it. 1t imposed upon
the Germans the duty Of disarming
within certain specified areas. OF
making payments in coal and in
money for devAstations committed in
France and Belgium.
German EvadinE Treaty.
So far the German has in part or IN
totality evAded compliance with prac.
tically every obligation accepted by
him at Paris: he has not disarmed
he has not furnished France with the
required coal; he has not surrendered
his war criminals; he has recently, in
defiance OF French protests. carried
troops into the neutralized zone Gre
ated by the treaty Of Versailles az
one Of the guarantees OF Franch Sc
curity.
The German has been encouraged
to do all of these things by the grow
ing recognition OF the discord betwee
his conquerors. The action Of the
United States Senate in twice reject
ing the treaty Of Versailles: the fact
that the British government Is sur
to an agitation within Britain for a
revision of the treaty of peace. which
would be profitable to British mate
rial interests. although perilous to
French safety, these Developments
have encouraged the Germans first
to evade and then to defy.
Great Britain now stands on the
principle that no matter what violence
Germany does to the treaty. France
shall take no action to protect her
self or her interests without British
approval. and II France persists In a
policy Of defending what she regards
as her own security without waiting
for British approval. then Great Brit
ain promises to wash her hands" OF
the whole matter and leave France
and Belgium to take tho conse-
Quences.
Italy will support Great Britain at
San Reno because Italy has nothing
reparation; she has nothing to fear
from Germany because she has no
frontier Joining German territory. and
she is eager to humiliate France be-
cause France supported President
Wilson and not Orlando in the mat
substance served notice upon France
that Great Britain, while reserving
herself the right to act without re-
gard to her allies in such matters as
the recent occupation OF CONSTANT
NOBLE, demands that France. no mat
ter what aggression Germany may
undertake.. must both seek and OBJ
tain British permission before she
can defend herself on her rights.
Explanation 81 CRISIS.
It is still possible to hope. but it is
entirely unwise to assume that the
association OF nations which de-
feated Germany can be preserved.
The real explanation Of the present
crisis lies in the fact that while al
the nations at war with Germany
were equally concerned in achieving
victory, the same nations have
wholly unequal interest In enforcing
the treaty Of Versailles. The British
in obtaining the German colonies. in
eliminating the German war feet and
in selling the larger part OF the Ger
man merchant marine have obtained
the maximum Of possible gain. Their
interest now lies in restoring their
trade with Germany. and through
Germany with central Europe. Hence
tho agitation In Great Britain for the
modification Of the terms OF the
treaty SO far as such notifications
do not deprive the British OF anything
gained in the war. All these modi-
fications are in the interests Of q
restoration Of German economic pros
perity.
In enforcing the terms of the treaty
Of Versailles, because she can hope
for no indemnity from Germany. she
has no common frontier with Ger
many and therefore no concern LOT
her own security. She has common
interest with Germany in weakening
SO far as possible the slav states
which the war has created. and par
ticularly Jugoslavia, with whom sns
is in dispute over Fiume.
U. 8. No Material Concern.
The United States has no concern
whatever Of a material sort In the
terms Of the treaty OF versailles:
Aside from the German shipping AND
property which we have seized. we
have asked nothing in the way OF
financial reimbursement, we nave
made no territorial demands. the
elimination Of the German war meet
has removed any peril for VS. OF
German renascence. even II TINS ex
tends to . reconstitution of the Ger
man army.
France and Belgium. on the other
hAnd-and the same IL true OF Poland,
Csechoslovakia and Jugoslavia-afe
all concerned. from the point OF view
Of security, in seeing the conditions