The New York herald., 1920-12-26


Copyright, 1920, bv THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin. Dec. 25.
Senator Medin Mccormick of Illinois
did not meet DR.. Walter Simons Ger
man Foreign Minister, at the dinner
given for the former by the American
military mission Thursday night. 1t
was authoritatively stated that DR..
Simons would have been invited to the
dinner had ne felt himself free to ac-
cept the invitation. but the incident OF
the refusal of Ambassador Hugh c..
Wallace to meet DR.. Wilhelm Won
Mayer -Kaufbeuren, German mbas-
sador in Paris. at the diplomatic din
ner given by Raoul Peret. President of
the French Chamber of Deputies, on
December Is, stood in the way.
The dinner was purely an Informal af-
fair and the failure Of DR.. Slmons to at
tend it was in no way an international
incident 1t was said that he stayed
away from it In order not to arouse the
sensibilities of the Nationalists here, who
are in a rage over Ambassador Wal
lace's action.
If a Senator may be known by the
questions he asks. the Germans who met
Senator Mccormick know practically
nothing about him politically. The Illi-
nois 'irreconcilable" told the Germans
lie met here essentially nothing regard
ing his own convictions in connection
with the future political relations be-
tween America and Central Europe. His
own interest .s chiefly in industrial and
financial problems and circumstances
which could hamper Central Europe
from being a reliable customer in Amer
lean markets.
Possibility of Trade.
Not only in connection with Germany
but with regard to Poland, Austria ami
Czecho-Slovakia 1t was plain from the
J, questions Senator Mccormick asked
that he was analyzing the possibility of
active trade intercourse between Ameri-
ca and these countries and that he was
acquainting himself with the causes fo-
the dislocations and the best methods
for establishing security.
Business leaders in Germany now
understand that he is not the personal
envoy OF President-elect Harding, ana
without such a mand ate the only
purpose of his journey must. they hold.
he to obtain Industrial information.
This information, they reason further.
VIII be for use when the state OF war
between the United States and Ger
many ends when they believe situa-
ton will be created in which direct
negotiations between America and Ger.
many viii be necessary.
The German Judgment is that this will
come through the passage Of the Knox
resolution.
But even II an amended Versailles
treaty is ratified by the Senate. II is
foreseen here that America win stand in
peculiar position with regard TO Eu-
rope. She would be free TO extend credit
70 Europe. but for the protection of her
own investments she would have to be
certain that her creditors were not un-
der too great an economic strain On
this point the Germans think In terms
OF the revision of the Versailles treaty
for when America finds her own busi-
ness interests jeopardized by the ina bill
ity OF central Europe to buy American
foods and raw materials and that all
this Is due to the tax laid on this de-
feated country by the Versailles treaty
the Germans expect she will insist that
this tax be reduced. not In a humani-
tartan spirit, but In protection of Amer
lean interests.
An Economic View.
The Germans count on Mr. Harding
NdhAiib AbAh u lilN IbillNIdl EluTLlDn IN
the United states with an economic grip
The questions which Senator McCor-
mick has been asking Fit stril1ingly we'll
into this hypothesis He has created
the impression in the minds OF Germans
that America was concerned with main
tanning the position which she gained
rs n result OF the war and wants TO see
Europe enjov peace and prosperity Al
ways the Senator from Illinois, wanted
90 know what Threatened the peace as
though America would refuse to invest
her wealth N E''rone without first hav-
ing all c7use for disturbance removed
Germans believes that America wields
the power to have the treaty changed,
for she could obtain alleviations In be-
half Of Germany by merely insisting
that unless they were granted. both
England ard France must repay the
American loans made 70 them They
expect that America will demand nod,-
Realtors Of the treaty. even with the
Use Of such threat rs tho repayment
OF the Anglo-French loans. whenever the
treaty clauses threaten to endanRer
American enterprise