The Washington herald., 1921-04-10

And in undertaking this gigantic
task, Mr.. Hughes has to start, not
into the wilderness, tangled to be
sure, but untrodden. but into a for
est which has been swept by fire
and blocked by timber fall. There
are as many trees down as up.
Moreover, he has not leisure to
elaborate his plans. There Is some
thing pressing at every hour Of the
day. Every step. too. necessitates
counting the effort in remote Eu-
rope and in adjacent regions on
Capitol Hill. II the responsibility
Is mainly his, the power is very far
from resting in his hands alone.
Hsshe.' prebIems-
Taking the German case as an
example: IL Mr.. Hughes fails to
give clear evidence that the United
States stands with Great Britain,
France. with the allies in the as
sertion OF the principle that Ger
| many must pay, as the guilty az
gressor, We shall have new German
resistance and following that a new
war. Aside from all else, this
means that the European market
will be closed to American exports
/ Indefinitely, with evil effects for US
! which can hardly be exaggerated.
On the other hand. II American
/ Endorsement OF allied policy goes
beyond calculated limits, we may
still have the war. The time may
well come when our own interests
and our own rights, let alone the
world conditions. may entitle US,
compel US. to express our opinion
| as to the reasonableness OF. allied
claims upon Germany. That time
is not now and will not arrive while
the German arrogates to himself
| the sole right to decide. But come
1t probably will, unless German
madness unchains the deluge, which
is more than a possibility at the
moment.
When Mr.. Wilson went to Paris
he had two great advantages: He
had a remedy for the world situa-
| tion and had the power, momen-
| tarily, to employ all the vast re-
sources of the country. subject to
Executive control, to the purchase
Of European acceptance Of that
remedy. He was prepared to ac-
cept unlimited European RESPONSE
| bilities, Armenian mandates and
French and other territorial guar
antees. provided only he could OBJ
tain European consent to try his
experiment. His foreign policy
centered about the league OF na :
ions; 1t was all summed I'D in the
! attainment of that end. 49,.
Now 1 do not pretend to know
what Mr.. Harding or Mr.. Hughes
may believe, in the matter of rem
edies, but 1t seems fairly clear that
at the moment they are forced to
consider the very practical oues-
tions of world conditions. Unies.
order is restored in Europe we shall
have economic depression at home
Indefinitely. But the United States
Is not now prepared to undertake
a receivership of Europe or of the
world. putting in the new capital
necessary, employing the armies ana
the fleets necessary.
Americas Position Deemed.
The new administration cannot
say DO this" or DO that" az Mr..
wilson did. at Paris. because IL
cannot at the same time agree to
DO something else itself. It cannot
say to Britain and France. Reduce
your claims upon Germany" be-
cause the United States expects to
get back. its loans. and II cannot
get back its loans to a continent
which is otherwise bankrupt II II
fnsists upon reduction OF the Ger
man repsrattons. II cannot say to
France, as some foolish people keep
insisting, Reduce your armies and
you will avoid bankruptcy" because
is not prepared to guarantee
French security IL the French, hay-
ing disarmed, are again attacked.
Much: as the admjnfstration, NAV
disapprove Of certain things done
by our recent associates, either ~
the case Of Germany or more I'm
mediately in our case, II cannot
express its view with any show of
bluntness, because every German is
eagerly looking for some Ameyican
expression which will. encouraee
him to the final act OF defiance. or
rather to a perseverance, in the
present course. which, after ali.
represents supreme defiance. Even
| SO simple and necessary a step q
i abolishing the ridiculous state of
iwar now obtaining with GERMANY
involves considerations which ara
well illustrated by the viyiani mis-
sion. Yet obviously that. step mus,
be taken. ~,
1 know there is a very general
Impression that the new adminis-
tration has only to take one deci-
siye step and the whole world will
be Influenced by that step. We
have only to speak and our voice
/ will persuade nations to abandon
their present courses whether the
4 British course In Ireland and Meso-
potamia, the French on the Rhine
and In Syria, the italian in the
balkans, or for that matter the
Polish and, Rumanfan on the con.
1 fines of Russia. But this IL 4
legend which has survived from the
4 Peace Conference and viii probabIy
die only after . long time.
Il IL you analyze what Mr.. HuRhe,
has done 50 far. recalling that ev,