Evening star., 1921-06-13
MAKING Of TREATY
WILL COME AFTER
| PEACE RESOLUTION
President Awaits Vote on
Knox.Porter Measure Be- !
fore Acting.
VERSAILLES DOCUMENT
MAY BE FOUNDATION
Preservation of American Status In
Supreme Council Is One Phase
of Situation.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


First steps toward the making of a
treaty of peace between the United
States and Germany will be taken i'm
mediately after Congress passes the
Knox-Porter resolution this week.
This became known officially today.
Until the congressional resolution is
out OF the way. international nego-
tiations cannot be begun. The reso-
luton itself does not bind Germany
or in any way establish peace with
President Harding and his associates.
They believe, however, that when
Congress passes the resolution GER
tain psychological unrest will have
been allayed, because. SO far as do
mestic laws are concerned, the phrases
duration Of the war" and the pres
ent war emergency" used in so many
statutes, will have been wiped on the
law books.
Mr. Harding realizes that the peace
resolution Of congress goes only part
of the way and that he must then ne
gotiate a treaty which will establish
diplomatic relations between the
United States and Germany.
President's Responsibility.
The executive has felt that it was
unnecessary to move in that direction
until congress had expressed itself.
Now with the prospect of an early
passage of the knox-Porter resolu-
tion. MIR. Harding feels that the re-
sponsibility for the next step is upon
him. He has indicated that he will
not delay action.
In response to an inquiry as to
whether the treaty of Versailles
would be used as a basis for peace
making with the Central. Powers. it
was significantly pointed out that
the president had not withdrawn the
statement made in his address to
congress. namely, that it might be
wiser to "engage under the existing
treaty" than to attempt new treaty
with Germany.
The truth of the matter. as ex-
that the United States is not dealing
with Germany at ALL. but with the
allies. Nominally Germany signs the
treaty. but having given away all her
rights to the allies the latter must
treaty with Germany are satisfactory.
1t Is the purpose Of the American gov
ernment to write the kind of treaty
that will bring harmony rather than
discord to the ranks of the allies
Great Powers Expeetant.
The practical problem of m:ekinE the
Versailles treaty effective as between
the United States and Germany Is one
on, which Secretary Hughes has been
working for some time. Already there
have been opportunities for the United
States government to find out how the
allies viewed the matter, and the at.
expectancy and hope that America
will find it possible to attach her sig
nature to the Versailles treaty even
though number of reservations or
notifications may be made. The
French. for instance. place grea:
yEa a
ica's signature to the Versailles pact
because of the effect such a move
would have upon Germany. where hope
still fingers that the United States
make a separate treaty with Berlin.
Another reason for using the YER
sailles pact instead of a new treaty has
to do with preserving Americas status
in the supreme council. That organiza-
ton was formed during the war and
dent Harding feels that the supreme
council can be used as vehicle for
many important things. He has al
ready availed himself of the machin-
cry of the supreme council to canvass
sentiment with respect to disarmament.
Council and League.
If America made separate treaty
and disassociated herself from the al
lies. she would no longer have a valid
CldlHl u IHcIuUCISL1p HI Tic CHIC
council. Since it is Mr.. Hardings in
tention to eliminate American particle
patton in those clauses of the treaty
covering the league of nations, the
United States would have no voice in
the council of the league itself, which
is a somewhat larger body than the
supreme council. Indeed if America
had Joined the league of nations the
supreme council would have vanished
entirely, as all members Of that or
ganization are represented on the coun-
Gil of the league of nations.
It was when Lloyd George saw
the status of the league Of nations
made uncertain because of Americas
hesitation to join that he suddenly
revived the supreme council. The
French concurred in the movement
and it Is the supreme council which
rules. Europe today.
President Harding has made it
clear that one of the principal OBJ
jects of his foreign policy will be to
establish close intercourse with other
nations by personal conference. The
supreme council affords such an op--
portuhity and it Is safe prediction
that the form of Americas new treaty
with Germany, or rather the reserva-
tiOns to the Versailles treaty, will be
discussed Informally at the supreme
council and the approval of the pow
ers obtained before the revised pact
is submitted to the American Senate.
Copyrisht, 1921