The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-05
STATES
HAS VALID CLAIM
Holds Germany Gave Us
Certain Rights in Arm
istice Pact
UNNECESSARY FOR
ALLIES TO AGREE
America Derives Her Rights from Par
tfcipation in War-NOt Attempting 10
Get Out of Allied Group but Is free
from European Entanglements.
prDAyD LAWRENCE.

1 Il
+noot,. with Germany. The treaty OF
Versailles will not be submitted 10 inc
! senate with or without reservations. Inc
/ new pact with Germany will be peace
| treaty only in the sense that II VIII Aoi
/ mauv end the state of war between 'he +
/ 1r,,itod States and Germany, but 1t VIII
roo1Ix amount to treaty of amity ana
commerce.
H Germany has not been asked to reafhrm
Pho treaty of Versailles or to grant again
70 the United States specifically all the
rights which she gave America uhder 'hs
Il Versailles treaty. - :. -,.o5 tbe
Tbe United States hasn't aSked Che
d allied powers to sign new treaty l.
II All fine foreign statements represent ue
voIonments i'm the most complex iesai
Icontroyprsy that has ever faced our CIV
eminent, and if they seem TO cohIrauiee
each request of the past they must ue
taken as the latest turn in a negotiallol
which has required our officials 10 turn
/ from one pxuGnent to another to put an
cnJ to the state of war between Germany
and the United States
Abandons No Rights.
Briefly. the United States doesn't aoan-
II don tbe rights given her under the treaty
/ of Versailles She still claims theiI pu t
mt by virtue of an American preSiuehl.
signature at Paris but because OF Ahefl-
cas- signature to the terms OF the arms
II tice which symbol is America partici-
no+ior in the war The United states
Government doesn't ask Germany 10 re
affirm ANYTHING and doesn't ask the aiiles
To concede ANYTHING. The program OF tne
a Harding administration is based upon the
broad assumption that when germany
bestowed all her rights and properties
4 Shp made ElnUl-
visible grant" That grant was made 10
the principal allied and associated pow
qrs." The United States was one OF the'
associated powers. -
America CONSTITUTES that act as lrreVoc-
able and final, no matter whether tnts
treaty of Versailles was ratified or not
Since the United States has decided To-
stand on that ground it isn't necessary
10 ask the allies to agree to the prlhclpie-
Secretary Hughes enunciated the doctrine
early in the Harding administration Wheii
he insisted in a formal note to all the
mowers that America derives her rights
NJ NOT ont of any treaty but out of her par
N ticipation in the war. He stated TINS
n principle in the zap case and virtually all
n the powers have acquieesed IN that posi-
n ton though it is true their acqulescehce
is not specifically directed and may yet
be the basis for varying interpretations.
Keeps Allies Informed.
The United States has notified the
allies of the kind of a treaty she Is nego-
itiating with Germany. That's the cour-
teous thing to do and doesn't imply that
America wants the permission of the al
n lies It simply means that America Is not
u attempting to take herself out OF the al
lied group simply because she finds 1t nee
essary to make a separate peace treaty
n with Germany at belated date.
As for the allies. however, the Dig
n question remains as to whether they nave
n or have not accepted the doctrine OF prior
N rights of victorious possessions growing
\ out of the armistice. A certain communi'
H cation sent by the council of the league
n of nations not long ago gives cue tC
\ the attitude of the powers. The counci
\ was asked to consider the question OF
v mandates, particularly the Zap mandate
1.-THE council decided that inaSmuch as the
ALLEGATION of mandates took place betor'
n the league was born, it behOoveS the prln
4 cipal allied and associated powers TO settl'
4 the dispute first This is taken here Il
4 mean that the league of nations, a.
4 the body which interprets the Versatile
\ treaty has in effect said that 1t VIII no
\ claim jurisdiction over matters PRIOR g
4 the first meeting of the league and vii
\ look to the principal allied ana ASSOCIATED
4 powers for decisions on those points.
Why L. S. Is Represented.
This explains, to some extent, WI!
III
4 Harvey to represent the United States OF
I the supreme council. which is composed
4 exactly of the principal allied and asso
H ciated powers. In the supreme couhcl
henceforth will America raise all ques
4 tions which may relate to mandates o
4 rights which other powers claim unde
4 the Versailles pact. Instead OF treat
4 with Germany formally lodging all tines
1 rights in the United States, the govern
/ ment here prefers to consider that tn
4 rights already are vested in the prlnclpa
1 allied and associated powers ana Una
4 nothing more need to be done about tina
/ until a specific dispute arises when til
/ United States will adopt the same att
4 tude she has taken in the Zap mandat
/ case. AcduiSecence in the position take
by the United States on the zap mandat
/ has been informally indicated by Gres
Britain France and Italy. After the Va
81 controversy is cleared up 1T Is not III
| likely that Japan will acquiesce IN n
1 broad principle that America is entltle
to be consulted in regard to all question
in the world relating in any way to th
! grants of authority or power made 0
Germany to the group known as the prli
Z cpaI allied and associated powers.
Assumes Other Nations Agree.
Other nations may not immedatel
agree to Americas position, but ii
ElTrnited States is going ahead on the a
sumption that they do and has given I'll
tIaliIed powers an opportunity to prote
1 or object if they wish. America did M
1 exactly ask the other powers their view
but stated plainly the course that was
/ be pursued and of course if foreign go
I crnments do not object diplomacy Co
siders that silence gives consent.
II 1t is precisely that delicate stage whio
the negotiations have reached. Do Il
allies feel that America as partlclpal
i'm the war is entitled to. the same RICH
under the armistice as America won
have had under the treaty that follows
1.-THE armistice? America has made it clei
that she doesn't intend to intervene
European disputes or to assert her mil