The Washington herald., 1921-05-20
Peace Resolution Awaits
First Reparation Pay
ment By Germany.
CHANGES GUARD
AMERICAN RIGHTS
Avoid Embarrassing Allies
By Acting Too Quickly,
Is Now Plan.


many by a declaration OF Congress
it is learned. will await Germany's
nrst reparations payment 90 the al
lies. The payment is scheduled for
June 1.
The unsettled European situa-
tion. which has delayed the dec
laratory peace in Congress for two
months, is considered sufficiently
clarified for the House Foreign AZ
fairs Committee to resume work on
the resolution. But its passage
will not be immediate.
The administration, and leaders
in Congress as well. are hesitant
to take any action that might De
interpreted as extending comfort 10
Germany in her efforts to beat
down the amount of reparations
paynents- President Harding, ac-
cordinE to Representative stephen
q. Porter. of Pennsylvania. chair
man of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee, expressed an earnest de-
sire" for passage of peace reso-
luton. 1t was understood the
President desired action within
reasonable time" and that he be-
li.yed no cause for delaying con-
sideration longer existed
Harding Asks Action.
Mr.. Porter conferred with Mr..
Harding AZ the White house yes
tsrday. Afterwards he announced
the Foreign Affairs committee VIII
meet early next week to CONSIDER
the peace resolution. 1t was indi-
Gated that a resolution would be
reported out within a week or ten
days- 1t would be kept in confer
ence between the two houses or de-
iayed in passage until the SITUATION
in Europe was considered oppor-
tune for fnal action
The chief work Of the Foreign
Affairs Committee will be to incor-
porate in the resolution safeguards
10 assure proper protection for se-
ouestered alien property and 10
make more certain, IL this is pos
sible, that the benefits obtained by
the United States under the treaty
Of Versailles will be retained.
The House has before it two res
olutions - the Knox resolution
passed by the Senate three weeks
ago, and -holed since, and a
resolution introduced by Porter
himself.
The Knox resolution repeals the
declaration of war against Ger
many, and declares peace to exist,
whereas Mr.. Porter's measure
simply declares a state of peace.
House Favors Porter Plan.
The House committee. it is con-
ceded, will report out Mr. POrter's
resolution, and, according to House
Leader Mondell, the Porter resolu-
ton will have the support of the
lower chamber. Advocates Of the
simple declaration argue that the
declaration of war should not be
repealed. because it sets forth the
fact that the German government
was waging unprovoked war against
this country.
House and Senate conferees will
adjust these differences when each
chamber has passed a resolution.
as well as those centering about
alien property.
According to Mr.. Porter, while
the President expressed an earnest
desire for passage OF a peace reso-
luton, he expressly stated that the
form and substance of the resolu-
tion was a matter exclusively for
the legislative branch of the gov
ernment to settle
Amendments Proposed.
Amendments to the Knox resolu-
tion are certain, however. Thomas
W. Miller. alien property custodian,
has prepared suggested changes in
both resolutions, and these were
submitted to President Harding,
Representative Porter, Senators
Knox an Lodge. The President, it
was understood, agreed with Mr.
Miller that the changes were de-
sirable, as did the others. Mr.. Mil
Ter will formally present his sug-
gested changes to the House COM
mittee.
Mr.. Miller proposes nine amend
ments TO the Knox resolution. and
two to the Porter resolution.
One of the amendments to the
Knox resolution would protect the
government in demands heretofore
made for turning over properties
not yet in possession of the gov
ernment, so it would not be pos
sible to stop final enforcement of
the demands Another fnsures con-
tinuation of the custodian's powers
under the trading-with-the-en
act. considered necessary so he can
administer properties in his pos
session after the peace resolution
is adopted.
A third amendment would Clarity
the power of the custodian to make
sales where this is deemed neces-
sary. Another would protect per-
sons VINO before the war were Ger
man nationals and who have since
necome citizens of friendly coun-
tres The other changes are of
less Importance.
The amendments suggested for
the Porter resolution copsiv, -
minor changes in phraseoIogy.
E.- D.as FL