Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-07
AMERICA LIKELY To
. SIT IN WITH ALLIED
SUPREME: COUNCIL
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
G.eased Wire Service to The Journal.l
(Copvripht 1901

Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTON, May 6.-The Unit
cd States government probably will
accept the invitation of the allies to
end a representative to the meet
ings of the supreme council. The
inclination is to have an unofficial
observer present who will be able to
act as a means of communication dj
rectly between the allies as a grip
and the United States and G.C the
same time inform the Washington
government of exactly what occurs.
The invitation itself has not yet
Jeen acted upon but the tendency is
to regard it as a favorable opportu-
nifty for a closer contact with Euro
pear affairs The Wilson admins
tration for a long time maintained an
unofficial observer at all such con-
ferences and withdrew representation
on the ground that the Harding sad-
ministration should be free to de-
eide for itself whether participation
in allied councils should be con-
tinued.
The advantages of having an
American representative sit in the
allied councils appeal to folks here
because there are so many questions
arising on which the United States
government desires to be Informed
and it is not always possible to con-
serve American interests, when Amer
lean diplomats must seek verificatlon
of important happenings through
secondhand sources of information.
In view of the indecision here con-
corning American foreign policy, and
particularly the extent of American
participation in European affairs I'M
der the Versailles treaty. any Ameri-
ofoE l,N
meetings of the supreme council
would have limited powers. He would
be unable to take action without the
explicit instruction of the president
and secretary of state. The gov
eminent here may decide to use Am
bassador Myron T. Herrick if the
meetings are held in France or Am
bassador Harvey if they take place
n London.
1t is unlikely that a special envoy
would be appointed for the purpose
as the meetings of the supreme coun-
ell are infrequent. There always is
the chance, however, that the presi-
dent may avail himself of the OPP
portunity to send special ambassa-
dora man of the type of Elihu. Root
whenever questions of eXtraordi1
nary Importance are up for consid-
! GRAFTON.
Broadly speaking, the desire of the
allies to have America sit with them
in determining questions Of vital in
terest to all nations is reciprocally
felt here. In other words, the dispo-
sition is to look upon the allied in
vitation as a means of consolidating
the principal and associated powers
into family council and minimize
the chances of friction between the
United States and it's. associates in
the war.
There have been reports that the
American government would delay
sending a representative to the SUI
preme council until the principles Ia.
Volved in the zap mandate contro-
versy were fully accepted by the
allies, Inquiry in responsible quar-
ters brings the information that the
United States, while deeply interest
ed in the outcome of the Yaps con-
| troversy, feels it inadvisable to con-
slider the board interests of the
world rather than her own special
interests in particular contro-
versy. In other words it is felt that
a favorable determination of the zap
! controversy actually is in process
and that the reparation problem is
of such vast Importance to the eco
/ nomlc recovery of the world that
America cannot afford to insist that
the zap controversy be settled be-
fore she assumes her rightful place
in the council of nations.
The opportunities for America to
help the allies by giving unofficial
advice, if it is sought, or to correct
pprehensions concerning Amer
ica's. attitude toward her associates
in the war are too important to be
neglected. The feeling here is that
the Harding administration is doing
ALL in it's power to prevent the Ger
mans from relying upon American
aid as against the allies in pending
| controversies. A decision to sit
alongside the allies in the supreme
council even though it did not in the
slightest degree involve the United
States in any commitments whatso-
| ever, would be construed by the
allies as strengthening of allied
! solidarity and as a convincing argu-
! ment to the Germans that they had
! better heed the allied demands and
settle the reparation question.
So long as American participation
is unofficial and informal, the OPP
ponents of cooperation between the
United States and the allies will be
| disarmed. but it is of more than
passing significance, that members
of the so-called ."irreconcilable"
group in the senate are watching
| with some degree of uneasiness the
tendency of the Harding administra-
ton to take a broad worldly view of
pending problems rather than to
| follow a strictly nationalistic or iso-
lated policy. tx