The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-05
May OPPOSE
PROPOSALS
T0CERMANY
q. s. Considers Protest of
Allies Reparation
Settlement.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial to THE Argus.O

Washington, Feb. 5.-The United
States government is considering
whether or not it shall file legal
protest against the reparation set
tlement proposed by the allies to
Germany.
Behind the indecision Of the
state department in the matter
for it is a fact that officials are in
a Quandary as to what should be
done-is the best illustration that
has yet come to the surface of the
embarrassments that accrue from
a change Of administration in the
United States without some meas
ure Of cooperation-even unofficial
the incoming and the
outgoing administrations.
The customary way to protect
and safeguard American rights in
any transaction in which a govern
ment may be unprepared to argue
a case is to file a "caveat" or legal
warning which is in the nature Of
a notice to all concerned that ex-
ception is taken to the negotia-
ton and that views on the Ques-
ton will be filed separately and
at later date.
The trouble about filing such a
"caveat," however, in the present
case is that American officials fear
that Europe will promptly ask for
Americas position on reparation
and state department officials are
unwilling to say anything that
might be a handicap to President
Harding after March 4th.
1T may be that President Hard
ling WI xDpfpye tho reparatson
setflefneAt;" said one official, I'VE
don't know anything about the
views of the next administration
or its desires"
On the other hand, the Wilson
administration has made clear its
position again and again in mem
oranda filed with the allied powers
and there is no doubt now in the
minds Of the European statesmen
that the present administration
considers the proposals just made
by the allies "preposterous" and
impossible of fulfillment."
Wilson Declined.
Another interesting angle to the
question is the fact that the Europ-
can governments asked the United
States to send an ambassador to
attend unofficially the council III
Paris at which the reparation set
tlement was agreed upon. Presi-
dent Wilson declined to permit an
American representative to sit in
the council because America had
not ratified the very treaty under
which it was proposed to collect
reparation.
I'VE can't eat our cake and have
it, too," continued a high official o.
the department today. I'VE can
not ask for rights under a treat,
which we have not even ratified.
One fortunate thing, however, II
the situation is the prospect tha
Germany will decline to accept thu
settlement and that the whole mat
ter may be under discussion wheI
the new administration comes init
power. The speech in the French
parliament of Andre Tardieu. for
merly French high commissions
to the United States, in which h
took the BRAND ministry to tasl
for Fastening settlement befor'
President Harding could take tn
oath of office in Washington i
looked upon here as the beginning
of a better understanding in Eur
ope that without American CO
operation the entire reparatiol
settlement may fall to the ground
! Need U. s. Support
/ For unless the moral support
the United States government j
back of the settlement, our Official
believe it will be impossible for tn
allies to use reparation bonds i
theip financial transactions wit
the United States, either as q basi
Of credit in foreign trade or as col
lateral in the support Of foreig
loans, past or future.
4 The more the terms Of the reT
aration proposals are studied th
: more officials here are beginnin
!. to feel that the entire proposal wi
collapse unless radically modifie,
In the meantime, however, opinio
: is divided as to whether the Unite
States ought to file legal excey
ton to the allied proposals SO a
to form the basis for an effectiv
protest later ON in the event tbs
the twelve per cent export tax sha
operate to the disadvantage
American trade and industry.
Units pneT IN