The Washington herald., 1921-03-27
Bimons Says League Will
Be Placed Before Amer
lean People Again.
WRITER CONSIDERS
SOLUTION REMOTE
Trip of Ex-Premier Elk,
5 cursion of Inquiry, Is
Writer'S View.
By FRANK II. sIMoNDs.

70 DISCUSS win thc
the question of the relation of the
United States to France and Europe
places squarely before the Ameri-
can public the old problem of the
League Of Nations and of the treaty
Of Versailles
Despite all the water which has
flowed under the bridge in the past
two years. it is idle to imagine that
any real solution has yet been
reached as to the whole broad prob
lem of the foreign relations of the
United States
Accepting the Paris statement
and II may be accepted. that Vivi-
anPs mission has no relation 10 the
question of the foreign loans, but
brushing aside the polite fiction that
he comes to observe the custom OF
European diplomacy and pay French
compliment to a new ruler. the SIM
pie truth is that the Frenchman
visit constitutes an excursion of in
auiry. France wants to know
what the Harding administration Is
-going to do about it," and it
represents the whole European
mass from Archangel to AdrianoRle
and from the Rhine to the Beresina.
Mission Not Limited.
But one may fairly say that Vivi-
ani's mission is not limited to in
quiry: he comes bringing a clear
statement Of French Views and a
frank indication of French hopes
Thus we are, in a measure, through
the mere coming of Viviani's mis-
sion brought into another peace
ponference. another international
discussion dealing. not alone with
European problems. but more par
ticularly with American relations
10 these problems.
In an odd fashion conditions have
been reversed Two years ago the
President of the United states wen;
20 Europe to impose his views upon
our associates in the war. These
views, as Mr.. Lansing has now told
us with a lucid clarity which makes
his statement one of the most ad-
rnirable yet published, were vague
IN the extreme, neither committed
to writing nor clearly outlined. but
they were comprehended in the idea
that there must be League of Ma
tions and that the league must be
q part OF the treaty.
Puts Blame ON Wilson.
1t Is not my intention now to re-
vive any part of the League of Ma
tions controversy, but it remains
clear that as a consequence of Mr.
wilson's insistence on Interviewing
the Treaty of Peace and League OF
Nations, certain evil consequences
persist, themselves the fruit of de-
eisions which have been substan-
TALLY rejected by the great majority
Of the American people. Most
Americans, and, l believe most Eu-
ropeans. would agree with Mr.. Ian
sing that the root evil of the Paris
failure was the inextricable inter
mingling of the two purposes OF
ending war and of establishing ma.
chinery to prevent new conflict.
But this thing was done, il was
done under the immediate pressure
of the American President. Under
the stress of circumstances, how
ever, his purpose was without any
adequate appreciation o fthe fact
BY himself. transformed. 1t became
q European fact rather than an
American conception. That League
OF Nations which was, in the Presi-
dents mind to be a charter for a
new world society, developed into
the contract of the victorious ma
tons to guarantee and maintain
The decisions, territorial and politi-
cal, as well as financial, written
into the treaty of Versailles.
Victory for George, CIemeneeau.
Now, after all. this represents
the successful amendment of the
Presidents, American idea by the
representatives of European ma
lions. 1t was tremendous victory
for LLOYD George and for Clemen.
eeau. so far as the Paris conference
was concerned, but IL turned ou,
70 be a disastrous affair for both
France and Great Britain. for the
whole world. in fact. when the
American people. perceiving far
more clearly than their Presiden,
what the reality as contrasted with
the appearance of the treaty was
rejected treaty and league after a
campaign IN which popular suspi.
c1on and resentment gained ground
almost daily.
Still the treaty, with the leaeu,
attached like ivy to a brick wall
remains the law of Europe 1t ha.
been accepted by some forty ma.
TONS, it has become a circumstanc,
of paramount Importance in tn,
new Europe, since 1t is. in fact, tn,
single executive of the victory o.
the allies. so far as such details a.
the Sarre Valley. Danzig, etc, ar,
concerned. More than this 1t can
not be simply repealed. without /.
substitute. for obvious reasons
Wants to Know U. s. stand.
Now Viviani comes to the Unitet
States with the obvious purpose Il
discover what part of the leaeu,
the United States. the new admin,
stration. Is prepared to accept
fhis raises at once the question o.
what part of the arrangement Eu,
rope. France in particular, desire.
We should accept. The trouble a
Paris lay in the fact that two set.
Df negotiators were seeking totair,
tinerent detectives, and while Eu
rppe knew clearly what II wante,
and took accurate appraisal of Mr.
Wilson. neither he nor his advisors
whose influence was nil, had an,
Just measure of European purpose
Since we are In for new negotfa,
HONS II seems to me there shouls