The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-21
CONF|SCATED HUN PROPERTY BECOMES AMERICAN PROBLEM
America's' Sweet Isolation" Fails to Function as Smooth ly as It Might Had Senate
 Signed the Treaty
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age Herald ' ROO DavidsOn BUildiu

800 Davidson Building ] Washington, March 19-(Special )-The suggestion of France and England that Germany, in initiating the payment of it's enormous indemnity, draw on its for eign credit. brought to the attention of President Harding that the United States is in possession of German prop erty to the approximate value of s1,ooo,- 0o0, ,0Oo.
 If the United States had ratified the Versailles treaty with or without amend ment, the possession of this money would constitute no problem. For Germany, in that treaty. recognized the propriety of tho seizure by the United States, and agreed that property thus confiscated should be applied to the payment of the indemnity due the United States.
 But inasmuch as the United States did not ratlfy the treaty it is in position of withholding from a weak nation. nation sorely in need of funds, property of great value that is rightfully that nations.
 HARDING I NDILEMMA
 President Harding has already called irto counsel his advisers. including his attorney-general highly skilled, it is re- ported, in intricate problems of interna- tional law. No solution has as yet forth come. The indications are that consid- erable time will be consumed in the de- Alterations, and the suggestion IS made; that commission be appointed-a cons mission of financial and diplomatic wiz ards-the function of which would be to extricate as facilely as possible the United States from a slough of douot and perplexity.
 It leaks from White House conferences that the President and his cabinet have no idea as how wisest to proceed In disentangling foreign alliances. There was the covenant of the League of Ma tons. But MT Harding holds that the people have destroyed the league, and that they would have none of it with or without reservations. There was the Knox separate peace resolution. But, with France and England hammering at the collapsed German exchequer. the United States could not affofd, even by the suggestion contained in that resolu- tion, to turn it's back on it's former al- lies and embrace the erstwhile enemy of the world.
 EUROPE URGES ACTION
 And yet MT. Harding recognizes the fact that he must take some action. He must do something. He cannot stand still. There is absolutely no way in which the United States can return to that sweet isolation" the republicans
  nal, legal authoritative and final action. il, one form or another. De consummated
 There is pressure under way, having for it's object immediate action by the United States. Germany has petitioned the allies to suffer the United States to carcel the debt of the allies in return for German credit held by the United States anG German bonds. England and France on the other hand have suggested that Germany. in order to make it's first pay ment to them, draw on the United States for it's credit of $1 0O0,O 900. And former Premier viviani of France comes to visit the President on a mission of most signi- ficant international import.
 It is regarded as highly probable that MT. Harding will induce MT. Root to visit Europe in an effort to find a way out of his dilemma. In the meanwhile the modified" League of Nations, as ,espoused by W. H. Taft, MT. Root. MT Fl aghes and Mir. Harding himself. looms again into prominence.
 WOULD AVOID FIGHT
 It is learned from a prominent repub- lican politician. said to be close to the President, that he would act in the ex- traordinary session of Congress- in favor of esta ablishing a tribunal of some na- ture by means of which the nations of the world could operate in solving their common problems-but for his dread of precipitating a factional row in his own following SD early in his administration.
 Senators Borah and Johnson. 1t Is be- lieved, would relish an opportunity freely and at great length. and repeatedly, 10 assail his position. his committals while candidate. and his course which they would represent as betrayal Of the confidence of the American people,
 And Harding would avoid such ais cussion. But the time rapidly comes x,<zt .lyA rr1n V. ocal stand, in international complications