The Washington times., 1920-07-15
: THEN THE WASHINGTON TIMES JULY IS
Col. House Reveals the Real
Cause of the Treaty Failure


Colonel Edward NJ House for years President
wilson's most intimate friend and during six years his
confidential messenger in dealing with foreign governments
They received information of the Presidents intentions
oener Colonel House than from his Secretary OF State
q When President Wilson returned from Paris in June
1919 with the Peace Treaty. and the League Covenant
signed he Colonel House there his personal represent
sve although there had been breach between the Pres
dent and other peace delegates Colonel House. Sec
retary Lansing General Bliss, and exAmbassador White
All these chosen advisers had forfeited the Presidents
confidence by venturng differ from him about Shantung
Russia, and other phases of the Peace Treaty.
After the return America of the Presidents four col
borators in making the Peace Treaty. President Wilson
refused receive to talk with Of them the breach
between them had become too wide.
Now Colonel House is again in Europe, this time in an
unofficial capacity and he has begun publicly to discuss the
mistakes of President Wilson In authorized statement
he says:
ga suggestion was made in Paris just after the armis
tice proceed at in the making OF preliminary
treaty of peace with Germany alone based upon broad
general lines and concerning four subects-army navy,
reparatons and deineaton of boundaries. The boun-
need have been exact but should have been SO
drawn give Germany the that her loss OF
territory would not be greater than indicated Such
treaty could have been made by Christmas Of 1918 and
would been not only the usual but the obvious thing
to do There at that time facing Germany the entire
allied army, militant and flushed with victory and there
would have been no delay or evasion of terms.''
It was President Wilson alone who upset that pro-
gram He had decreed during his first visit to Europe IN
December 1918 that the League of Nations covenant
have the right of way over any peace treaty.
he returned the United States in February, 1919 to
address the Congress- In his absence from Paris the
representatives Of the five principal powers agreed that
hasten the paccaon of Europe the preliminary terms OF
peace must settled The plan which the delegates
all nations in the conference agreed in the absence OF
President Wilson was in the words Of Colonel House. that
"a careful survey should be made Of Germany's re-
sources and ability pay and then assessed which
the bankers of the world might be willing to undewrte
this had prevailed the French and Begians could
have received their allotment in cash. which would have
been Of untold benefit to their respective countrles
- But President Wilson, he returned to Paris
again upset this plan He determined that the League
Covenant should be settled first and Lloyd George and
Clemenceau finding any progress impossible without him.
finally consented.
Europe. The delay injurious to all the Allies As it
has worked out has been the advantage of Germany
which year has paid penny of the indemnity
Colonel House adds
''It is doubtful whether Germany has it in mind to
pay anything present. and it may be that she contem
tplates letting the future for ITSELF"
Z Colonel House sees hideous mess In the war debts
owed by European powers to another France thinks
that should be relieved entirely of her debt to England
she bore sevenths of the loss in directed
not more against her than against England.
England is willing to cancel the debt of France to her
provided the United States will cancel Great Britain
greater debt America Andre Tardeu the French High
Commissioner understood from the American peace delega
tion this would be DONE Colonel House says of the
situation today:
"And this leads to the thought that the lending of
funds by government to another should be done
unless unusual circumstances 1t is always provoca
tive of i'll feeling and the forerunner Of trouble In the
last analysis the debtor government declines to pay it
means
'Great Britain being closer to the European CONT