The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-14

vices of law He, himself believes
Americas rights will never be as well
safeguarded as they would be under the
| Versailles pact and would so hold if he
could have his way but ne is endeavor-
ing to do for Mr.. Harding what any able
| lawyer would do for his client-tind a
way to meet not only the external diff
culties of an International character but
/ the internal troubles of Il political ma
ture which may impede ratification in the
/ senate.
Possible Alternative
There is one alternative being CON
! sidered which may or may not be efec-
| tive. 1t is so novel that its effect can
not Immediately be cOnjectured. 1t in
wolves making a separate treaty with
| Germany but retaining under such
| treaty all the rights and privileges which
| were given the United States under the
| Versailles pact. In other words. Germany
Having bestowed upon the United States
as one of the principal allied and associ-
ated powers certain rights and privileges
would now subtract these rights from the
/ Versailles pact 50 far a. they affect the
| United States and transfer them to new
| treaty.
The objection to such a course is tive
| fold Would the allies consent, and, see
ond would America be legally As secure
/ even if the allies did? The big fact II
| that Germany hasn't any rights to give
Iaway any more and no longer can with
draw from the Versailles treaty any
| thing she gave away in that pact with
out first getting the consent of the sig
lnatories TO that treaty-the great pow
| ers In other words Germany can't
agree to anything with the United States
| without the consent of the allies. The
/ peace negotiations will be nominally with
! Germany, but in reality with the allies.
no make a separate treaty opens mp
81 rlala on N sinh r.
sailleS treaty with reservations means
that the consent of the allies to these
reservations il not necessary. The Unit
ed States would merely be approving and
subscribing to certain articles of the
treaty but would decline to be n party to
other articles such those involving the
enforcement of the treaty either through
1.-THE league of nations or any other IN
lstrumentality.
Would Not Bind Germany
Some of the legal experts believe that
a square treaty with Germany even
though its first paragraph might grant
al the rights which Germany had pre-
| viously given the United States in the
| Versailles treaty would not bind Ger
many in the end. because having disposed
of those rights in the first place to the
allies and the United States as a group, 1t
may be that the failure of the United
States to remain n member of the group
| known as the principal allied and asSo-
| ciated powers means losing the rights Civ
en- that group The analogy most COM
monty heard here is that the allies and
the United States constitute company
| Just like a corporation, to which GER
tain rights to build street railways have
been given by a city. In that company
are named five individuals, who collec-
lively are obliged TO give the city a GER
| tain sum of money. The money is paid
but one of the five members of the group
doesn't pay his share and withdraws from
the transaction Could he claim that he
is entitled to the right to build a street
railway of his own over the identical
right of way? The city made the grant
of all its rights to the company a.
whole and did not divide its rights among
| the five individuals leaving ii to them to
work out the share of responsibility and
reward That. in a~nutshell, is the pre-
lvailing view here The United States
cannot withdraw from the principal al
lied and associated powers without los
ing its rights as a member of that group
| Mr.. Hughes is trying hard to find an al
tentative Sometimes il looks as If he
will succeed. He is an ingenious law
yer But the trouble is the allies are
the receivers for bankrupt Germany
and unless America wants to resume her
place as one of the principal receivers she
| puts herself outside the allied group
and must take whatever rights the al
lies want to grant. The question has
lproved the most perpleXing of Mr.. Hard
ing's administration. 1t is significant he
has asked Secretary Hughes to work out
Ian alternative to the Versailles pact but
Its not believed he will eventually accept
it. ... ......