Evening star., 1920-01-17
SIX WEEKS SHOULD
SEE PEACE TREATY
OBSTACLES MOVED
Peoples Attitude as Express
ed in Various Polls At
tracts Senators.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Presidential politics. prohibition
gloom on the one hand and JOY on the
other. a certain reaction against the
precipitate handling of the socialists
in the New York assembly. wall of
distress from central Europe, where
starvation and suffering is growing
plenty of talk-but only talk-about
compromise on the peace treaty and
a rather loose conduct of foreign
affairs, owing to the uncertainty of
Americas position in the council of
nations. describes in a general sense
the state of affairs in the National
Capital today,
Many interests are crowding pell-
nell upon one another for attention
in both the executive and Legislative
branches of the government, but
never did the wheels of progress seem
to be so sluggish. never SO much with
out direction or aim. The illness of
the President is happily passing. but
he is not yet in shape to coordinate
the policies of his administration.
And. as consequence, one finds the
Department of State returning rather
non-committal answers on many ques-
tionS on which America should have
her say without equivocation. Per
haps the far eastern situation is a
case in point. --
The attacks in Congress that have
been made on the presence of Ameri-
can troops in Siberia have tended to
ernment here in maintaining any
status quo and the tendency has been
to let the japanese have 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 Congress, who dislike to see Amer
lea giving a free hand to Japan any
where.
Unable to Express Policy.
Yet the Department of State seems
to be powerleSS to express american
policy in the far east except in the
most cautious sense. for it is an era
of sensitiveness in which the depart
ment seems unwilling to give Con-
gress something on which to pounce
in an effort to discredit the world
power policies of the administration.
which have been used by the oppo-
nents of the league of nations in their
campaign against the treaty.
Indeed, until the treaty is ratified.
the value of American foreign policy
Is virtually nil. Europe is asking
questions and getting few answers.
Fiscal policy is in certain sense
being neglected, too, for the recent
effort of Europe to get some financial
help from the United States was killed
by the influences desirous of exposing
the alleged partnership between the
league and international financiers.
While there is naturally "a tendency
here to discourage the notion which has
existed in some quarters in Europe that
France and England and Italy have but
to ask for funds and limitless funds will
be forthcoming, and while it is desired
here to stimulate an awakening among
European peoples to the necessity of in
dustrial production. the effect has been
to make our officials supercautious and
unreceptive, even to the general idea OF
pledging financial support. Later on
when the treaty is ratified and there
doesn't prevail every side feeling
that one must lean over backward in
satisfying for the moment the anti
European feeling that has been bred in
connection with the treaty fight. it is
quite probable that the whole question
will be discussed on its merits anew.
One thing is certain-loans by our
government to the allies will not be
made, but better arrangements for the
stimulation of foreign trade, commerce
and exchange are inevitable. as soon as
the atmosphere has cleared and there is
less partisanship and more breadth in
the point of view of all concerned.
All the polls that have been taken on
peace treaty seem to favor a compro-
mise. The Portland (Ore) Journal and
the Rochester IN. " Times-Cnion have
recently conducted canvaSseS by coupon
which have attracted the attention OF
senators. These votes show an over
,whelming desire for ratification with
reasonable interpretations. The poll OF
on Capitol Hill The wheels of compro-
mise move slowly. But at the present
writing il looks as IL the whole thing
may be disposed of in another month or
six weeks.
copyright 192O)