The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-04-08
U. s. DECIDES GERMANY
MUST PAY WAR BILL

meeting of the Cabinet today, at which
foreign affairs were discussed, the
statement was authorized in higf
government quarter that the United
States intended to stick by her for
mer allies in the present attitude to-
ward Germany. Outside of its pri-
mary'importance as showing the pol
icy Of the new administration at
Washington, the statement has par
ticular application to the mission to
this country of Rene Viviani, former
Premier Of France, who was sent by
the French Government to lay before
President Harding and others the des-
perate situation in which France
finds herself as basis for obtaining
the moral support, at least, of Amer
lea.
As one official orally and inform
ally explained the position which the
Harding administration has deter
mined to follow:
Germany Must Pay
"our attitude is that we consider
that Germany chould acknowledge its
moral responsibility for the war and
must pay reparation to the limit of her
ability to pay. The idea that we
fought throughout this war and that
we would aid Germany in escaping its
obligations is absurd and ridiculous"
To say that Viviahi is pleased over
this voluntary exposition of the gov
ernment's position is putting it mildly.
Seen by Globe-Democrat and New
York Times representative, he ex-
pressed himself as being greatly NOV
ed by what he termed this vigorous
and stri ghtforward American pro-
nouncement. While this is gratifying
in the highest degree, he said, it is not
real surprise, as it stands on all
fours with what he had so far. learned
in his attempt to present the cause
and plight of France. Viviani said it
shows America has the most intelli-
gent grasp of and deep sympathetic
interest in the European situation as
seen from the allied viewpoint. 1t
shows, he added, that America is still
keeping the faith as she did III the war
and that America is not leaving
France in the lurch.
Yiviani Had Busy Day
Viviani had busy day. Last night
he saw several Senators at the din
ner given in his honor by the French
Ambassador, among them Senator
Lodge, and early this morning he
went to Lodges residence for fur
Their discussion of his mission. After
wards he called on Secretary of the
Treasury Weldon and Secretary of ]
Commerce Hoover. He called at the |
Senate to see Vice President Coolidge,
but Coolidge was at the Cabinet meet
ing. They met later in the afternoon.
To most of those he has seen in the
short time he has been in Washington
Viviani has expressed the position in
which France finds herself. To SEN
ator Lodge, as chairman of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations and Lead
er of the Senate, he expressed at great
ength the aspirations of France and
detailed the troubles that have beset
ner and which threaten her very ex-
stencs.
Viviani and Lodge met when the for
ner Premier came to Washington in
April, 1917, as the head of the French
War Mission, and Viviani recalled
with pleasure today that Senator
Lodge was one of those who escorted
lin to the Senate chamber when he
his address to that body.
Laid Cards on Table
Speaking this evening to Globe
Democrat and New York Times repre- {
entative, Viviani said that he had /
ound Senator Lodge to be a highly
ultured man, with an intimate knowl-
dge of European affairs. He had
resented to Lodge, he said, the cause
f France from every standpoint. AS
e expressed it, he had laid the cards
f France on the table, for Lodges in :
Speaking in French, which Lodge
Viviani, according to
hat he said this evening, was care
u to explain to the Senate leader II
nat he, like Lodge, had been a states I
ian and parliamentarian most of his s.
fe, and having been so he fully APP a
rebates just what are the sovereign &
ghts and prerogatives of legisla- y
We body. No man, said Vivian, N
'uld presume to tell any parliament IL
: Congress what it ought to do. Il
He told Lodge, he said, that he, vi ju
ami, was not here for the purpose Of
~ way to tell our Congress what to