The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-05
PACT OF AMITY
AND COMMERCE
WITH GERMANY
Treaty of Versailles
Not Considered
by u. S.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial to The Argus.)

Washington, Aug. 4.-The United
States government is making a sep
crate treaty with Germany.
The treaty of Versailles will not
be submitted to the senate with or
without reservations.
The new pact with Germany will
be peace treaty only in the sense
that it will formally end the state
of war between the United States
and Germany but it will really
amount to treaty of amity and
commerce
Germany has not been asked to
reafiirm the treaty of Versailles or
to grant again to the United States
specifically all the rights which she
gave America under the Versailles
treaty.
The United States hasn't asked
the allied powers to sign new
treaty.
All the foregoing statements rep
resent developments in the most
complex legal controversy that has
ever faced our government and if
they seem to contradict expecta-
tions of the past they must be taxi
en- as the latest turn in a negotia-
ton which has required our Off
cials to turn from one expedient to
another to put an end to the state
of war between Germany and the
United States.
Briefly, the United States doesn't
abandon the rights given her under
the treaty of Versailles. She still
claims them but not by virtue of an
American presidents signature at
Paris but because of Americas sig
nature to the terms of the armis-
tice which symbolizes America s
participation in the war. The Unit
ed States government doesn't ask
Germany to reaffirm anything and
doesn't ask the allies to concede
anything The program of the
Harding administration is basked
upon the broad assumption that
when Germany bestowed all her
rights and properties upon her con-
auerors she made an "indivisable
grant" That grant was made to
the principal allied and associated
powers" The United States was
one of 1.-The associated powers"
u. s. Attitude.
| America construes that act as ir-
revocable and final, no matter
whether the treaty of Versailles was
ratified or not. Since the United
States has decided to stand on thai
ground, it isn't necessary to ask the
allies to agree to the principle. Sec
retary Hughes enunciated the doc
trine early in the Harding admins
tration when he insisted in formal
note to all the powers that America
derives her rights not out of any
treaty but out of her participation
in the war. He stated this principle
in the zap case and virtually all the
powers have acquiesced in that po-
sition though it is true their ac
quiescence is not specifically direct
ed and may yet be the basis fol
varying interpretations.
The United States has notified th'
allies of the kind of a treaty she /!
negotiating with Germany. That;
the courteous thing to do and doesn'
imply that America wants the per
mission of the allies. 1t simpl!
means that America is not attempt
ing to take herself out of the al
lied group simply because she hno
it necessary to make a specla
peace treaty with Germany at a be
lated date.
View of Powers.
AS for the allies, however, the pl'
lquestion remains as to whethe
they have or have not accepted TN
doctrine of prior rights or victor
Gus possession growing out OF TN
armistice. A certain comunlcatlol