The Washington herald., 1921-04-24
By FRANK II. sIMoNDs.

BY FRANK II. sIMoNDs. o.
Will the treaty Of Versailles be
revised by a conference held at
Washington or by a treaty made at
Berlin? This is the question square,
Iy raised now, when the first decla-
rations of the Harding Administra-
ton and the subsequent indication
Of French policy serve to reopen
the whole discussion Of European
affairs.
On behalf of the State Depart
ment, announcement has been made
that American representatives are
to resume the place occupied by
other representatives of this coun-
try in the reparations council.
1t is further intimated that We are
prepared to send delegates to the
Porto Roso conference, which, on
April 80, Is to take up nominalIy
the question of helping Austria, but
actually the problem Of restoring
economic ,life in all Central Europe.
We have now to consider the
whole range of recent American
declarations. beginning with the
-note to Berlin which warned Ger
many of American purpose In the
matter Of reparations, followed by
President Harding's message to
Congress and completed by. the Of
fcial statements from the State De-
partment expressing the purpose Of
the United States to resume >parttci-
patton in the economic discussions
of Europe. - H.. }
go. Attitude Of America. -..,. ;
Now the American conception,
that of Mr.. Harding and of Mr..
Hughes, seems plainly set forth.
America has rights which must De
asserted hence the mandate dis
cussions. America has a duty which
must be performed, hence the warm
ing communicated to Germany. FL
nally, America has economic inter-
ests which are vitality affected by
European conditions, hence the as
sertion that we desire to be repre-
sented in all economic conferences.
As a matter of foreign policy we
have rejected the league of nations
and foreshadowed a revision of the
treaty of Versailles, so far as We
are concerned, which draws the blue
pencil through all but those clauses
Immediately affecting our rights and
interests.
But to arrive at any revision Of
the Treaty of Versailles. We are
bound to face the question of nego-
tiations in some form. We may
send a mission to Europe, we may,
before sending 1t. prepare the bases
for discussion by a series of notes,
but, in the end, we must either go
to Europe or ask Europe to come
here. And 1t is to the latter pos
sibility that Washington, at the
moment, plainly turns with favor.
VIII Europe Listen.
Yet granting that Europe, our
allies of the war, are prepared to
hear our views and yield to certain
of our claims, Is 1t certain that
Europe will welcome any proposal
of ours which carries with 1t the
revision of the Treaty of Versailles
in any fundamental detail, or will
listen resignedly to any arguments
made by American Representatives
which aim at modifying in any
the sum total of German
We shall have to be very. frank
with ourselves in facing the Euro
pean reaction to our course in the
matter Of the Treaty Of Versailles
and the league of nations. We have
to eliminate everything
in the treaty which is not of posi-
tive advantage to ourselves.
To put the thing bluntIy, Mr..
Hughes has laid especial stress
upon the capacity of Germany to
pay, raising the point that there is
a hxed limit to German capacity,
and that at some time and place
representatives will ex-
press their Views on this suhiaot.
But now can they, while we insist
upon collecting our loans to Europe
without regard to the capacity of |
the debtor nations to pay?
From Peter to Paul
The thing which is not accur-
ately appreciated in America IA |
that the allied demands upon Ger
many represent in fact, far more |
than 50 per cent. the basis OF allied |
payment of American loans, Tne
Germans owe to the British, under
the Paris agreement. almost exactly
the sum which the British owe us |
When France has deducted from
her share of German reparations
the portion due to Britain and the |
United States. she will have less |
than enough to pay for restorations |
and nothing for pensions.
Thus 1t follows inevitably, as the |
experience Of the Paris Conferences |
that at "A certain |
point American Representatives mus, |
> - n III a. - - lt-l
tion OF the sum Of German .rcpara-
lions or accompany their areu-
nents with promises that .Americs |
zfl. n the "A M unoraeaf nrr.. 4.