The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-06-18
MAKE AMERICA PAY

1850 L
Jonathan Bourne, Jr., today gave out
the following statement from lts
Washington headquarters:
"The underlying purpose of the
league Of nations was to fasten upon
the United States the cost and respon-
sibility of maintaining the new geo.
graphical lines in Europe as delin-
Gated bv the Versailles treaty, and
practically to compel Germany TO i've
up to her obligations in that under
taking, including the payment OF
huge indemnities TO the allies. Inc
United States Senate refused to make
this country a party to any such ar
rangement, and with its refusal went
the hopes of Europe that its troubles
could be conveniently loaded upon
America.
But the European scheme for The
exploitation Of American resources
and man power by no means was
abandoned when the Presidents fail
ure to coerce the Senate became
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 Eng
lishman, Keynes, wrote a book in
which he boldly stated that the sole
solution Of European economic diff
culties was the cancellation Of the
3d. 900, 900, 900 debt owed by those
countries to the United States. The
proposal was received with contempt
OH this side Of the water, and it be-
came necessary to find another solu-
ton less likely to arouse American
opposition.
"Thereupon a financial conference
was called to meet at Hythe In Eng
land, and the whole question OF Ger
man indemnity and allied debts was
gone over. 1t was recognized that
Germany can make little progress
now in furnishing cash reparation, so
IL was suggested that German bonds
be distributed in the proportion OF in
demnity allotment. France was to
get about So per cent, England . per
cent, and Belgium and other countries
a less amount. With the bonds In
hand there was to be a general ex-
change, according to the debts owed
by one country to another, and Eng
land, France and Belgium would all
turn owe 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
payment of about $40, 900, 900, 600, and
as much interested in forcing that
country to live up to it's obligations
as if 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 meantime, Of course, the allies
would be free Of their financial obli-
cations to US.
1.-THE proposed Armenian mandate
was another scheme, contrived by n
same forces that controlled the Hythe
conference, to put the United States
responsibilities substantially the same
as those contained in the league
covenant. Under it we would have
furnished an army of unknown pro-
portions and at huge cost, but OF SUI
icient size and sufficiently supplied
to put down the Turks and bolsheviks
which are at this moment surround
ing Armenia and harassing It's people.
Mandates are an invention OF the
league of nations, and countries &C
cepting them must make reports to
the league and be subject to It's on
troll. Heace, in accepting on Armen-
Ian mandate the United States would
have placed itself under the power of
the league in much the same way as
il the Senate had agreed to the un-
amended covenant.
Everything that emanates nova
days from European diplomatic circles
Is in one form or another an attempt
20 draw the United States into a
sharing of war burdens now borne by
Old World countries. Not content
with the billions OF money and tens
OF thousands Of precious American
lives that were expended In saving
Europe from the Hun scourge, they
now would unload more Of their
troubles upon US. Through their
agent In own own White House, who
seems to readily accept every un-
American scheme submitted to him,
they seek to lay their hands on billions
Of American wealth and untold num-
bers of American lives"