The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-20

ADhA
ditiOns, Next Far East and Disarma-
ment, Then Association of Nations.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The RefOrmer.)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, July 20. The
United States government has entered
into informal discussions with Great
Britain. France, Italy and Japan to de-
termine whether they, as members of the
group as the principal allied and asso-
Lciated powers" have any objection to
the making of a separate treaty between
the United States and Germany which
shall include in its text the same rights
and privileges granted the United States
in the economic and reparation clauses of
the Versailles treaty.
This step which has been in process
for several days is the alternative to the
submission of the Versailles pact with
reservations, and if the allied powers in
terpose no objections and no legal compli-
cations arise the ''irreconcilables' in the
American senate will have their way to
the extent that the original Versailles
pact Will not be submitted to them again
while the pro-treaty element will have
the satisfaction of knowing that approx
imately so per cent of the Versailles pact
will be included in the new treaty to
be negotiated with Germany.
France Wants Original Treaty.
Objections from the allies are not an
ticipated though it is known that France
would have liked to see America sign the
the reservations excluded the league COW
enant and participation in the enforce
ment clauses of the treaty. France be-
~lieves the moral effect of Americas sig
mature on the Versailles treaty is a val
/ liable asset in making Germany under
stand that the partnership of powers be-
gunsduring the war has, by no means
been dissolved. On the other hand, the
answer made here is that Germany can
not possibly derive any impression of di-
yision in the allied ranks because she
would be asked to sign a treaty contain
ling clauses on PREPARATIONS as those al
most identical with these in the Yer
| sailles pact. Germany's obligation to
pay for the war will be just as much
IstreSsed in the new German-American
treaty as in the Versailles convention.
just Difference Of Form.
There is really little difference in sub
stance between the submission of the
Versailles pact with reservations and the
alternative now being worked out with
the allies covering a square treaty with
Germany. But there is a difference III
form and il is sufficient TO cool the wrath
of the irreconcilables" and make easier
the ratification of the treaty. President
Harding and his cabinet have practically
every day come face to face with prob
lens which cannot be solved because
Americas economic relationship with Eu-
i rope is unsettled. 1t is with the idea of
a speedy settlement of all important
questions pending with Europe that the
Square treaty plan has been more or less
| designed upon. Its final approval by the
administration will, of course, depend
upon the replies of the allies and the ar
gumentS they make as to the validity of
Americas rights when granted under a
square treaty. 1t does raise some inter
esting legal points for while America will
i'm one sense be withdrawing from the le-
gal partnership created by the joint sig
natures of the Versailles treaty she would
be asking the partners to agree to an
agreement of the same rights throughout
another means-a square treaty.
Advantage To Allies.
just now the allies have more to gain
than lose by agreeing to Americas
wishes. The funding of the allied debt
lover a period of years means more to the
allies than technical questions and alb
stract rights. The consent of the al
lies is confidently expected. Diplomatic
notes exchanged between the United
States and the allied powers will be suf-
ficient to safeguard Americas rights and
Iwhen once those notes have been received
the United States government will feel
| free to lay the text of the new treaty be-
fore the German government. OF course,
Germany might balk and try 10 reopen
the economic clauses of the treaty for
general discussion but Germany would
soon be told that the matters are not open
for parley and debate but are closed.
Germany too, has more to gain than lose
by accepting the American viewpoint 50
everybody in the government feels certain
that when the allied consent has been
obtained the rest will be smooth sailing.
Harding's Foreign Policy.
The Harding foreign policy is slowly
being evolved. Step number enc is set
Ting our economic relationship with Eu-
rope; number two is the conference on
disarmament already called but which is
expected to remove sources of friction in
the Far East and step number three is
a general plan for the preservation of
world peace either by a league or an as
ISOLATION of nations or some other kind
of international conference body which
shall substitute counse and discussion
for war.