Evening star., 1921-03-15
VV|AN| IS COMING
TO 0D|SCUSS LEAGUE
Visit Considered of Vital
World Import-To Seek
Exact U. S. Viewpoint.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although official statements insist
that Rene Viviani, former premier of
France, will simply pay a courtesy
he has full authority to negotiate
with the Harding administration con-
cerning a modified league of nations.
Ambassador Jusserand has reported
that such proposals or suggestions
would not be unwelcome and would
be given serious consideration.
From this incident alone may be
derived the first news of the way by
which President Harding and Secre-
tary Charles Evans Hughes intend to
proceed in carrying out the republi-
can campaign pledge which calls for an
agreement with Europe to preserve
peace. The fact that the initiative
comes from Europe relieves the
United States in a sense of the en-
barrassment of approaching the
fects in the present league, and sug-
gestioEs for a substitute. While Mr..
Harding has certain ideas concerning
an association of nations. he has had
no way of knowing until he got into
Office whether those ideas would
prove acceptable to Europe.
European Leaders to Meet.
Few people believe that the Viviani
visit will have an immediate effect. On
the contrary. the expectation is that
conference of European statesmen will
follow the return of NJ. Viviani and
that Europe will adopt course of ac-
ton after hearing directly or indirectly
from the former French premier just
what is to be hoped for from the
United States.
While the government of Great
Britain is not sending any envoy to
discuss the league of nations with Mr..
Harding. the deepest interest has been
exhibited by the British in what may
bo accomplished by M. Viviani. The
former premier was one of the brill
liant figures at the Geneva meeting
of the assembly of the league of ma
tions, and is regarded in Europe as
one of the ablest of it's champions. 1t
was largely through the efforts of NJ.
Viviani. head of the French delesation
at Geneva, and Arthur Balfour of Great
Britain. that decision was reached to
postpone changes in the covenant until
the new administration had come into
power at Washington.
Vfviani to Explain League.
NJ Viviani, like other Frenchmen,
cannot understand why Mr.. Harding
believes the present league of ma
TONS is q oi " hS IL Sui
renders sovereignty" because the
French themselves insist that they
would never surrender their sover-
eighty to anybody. either. The dis
cussion between M. Viviani and the
American government will be largely
an explanation of the actual opera
tion of the league and an attempt to
discover Just what changes the
United States would like to have
made to clarity the covenant.
But the Viviani mission is predi- !
Gated on the idea that the present
league and treaty must be the frame
work of any new association. The
French decline to believe reports
from America that the United States
wishes to scrap" the league or the
Versailles treaty. If such proves to
be the case NJ. Viviani will advise
Europe and an entirely different pol
lev will be followed by Europe in her
relations to the United States. Diplo-
mats here believe that the allied
mowers are vitality interested in pre-
venting any separate peace between
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