New-York tribune., 1921-02-06
The Peace Tangle
John F. Bass Denounces
the Treaties
cTHn PEACE TANeLn BY John r. Bas

Fesce Muddle. The author thinks that
the treaties are crude, oppressive and
unenforceable. Instead Of bringing
peace to Europe they will plunge her
deeper into strife and misery. He sees
no hope Of better things except
through their modification or annuI-
ment.
Mr.. Bass believes that the Fourteen
Points would have furnished fairly
good basis for peace If they had been
lived up to at Parts. But the Allied
governments in Europe had no love for
them, and President Wilson never went
very far, the author tells US, in trying
to impose them on his associates. This
Is in line with Mr.. Lansing's admission
that the Fourteen Points were never
seriously considered in the conference.
Mr.. Bass says that Mr.. Wilson didn't
originate the Fourteen Points. "Forty-
eight hours before the famous speech
which embodied them an intellectual
was called on to draft a series Of def
mite points to give the war aims of the
United States for use in the President's
speech. The intellectual drafted
eighteen points. These were reduced
by the President to fourteen and made
less definite and concrete
The Versailles compact, in the su-
thor's view, reflects the nationalistic
aims of the European Allies fixed by
prior~war agreements. Some of Mr.
Wilson's apologists have described the
League Of Nations covenant as an in
strument through which the harshnesses
of the territorial and financial pro-
visions of the treaties may be corrected.
Mr.. Bass doesn't accept this view. Moth
ing was gained, he holds, by tying the
covenant up with the treaties, for the
League of Nations was thus made an
agency for enforcing their provisions
and guaranteeing in perpetuity their
territorial arrangements. Mr.. Bass
believes that the best course for the
United States is to refuse to ratify the
treaties and to try TO change the league
from political to judicial and eco
nomic body"
Mr.. Wilson's failure at Paris is ac-
counted for by his scanty knowledge of
European affairs and his personal short
comings. A Frenchman connected with
the conference told Mr.. Bass that "the
great mistake of everybody had been in
overestimating President Wilson's abil-
ity," 1--WE relied on him. this French
man added, "to do work for which he
did not have the capacity" Allied
statesmen, Mr.. Bass reports, "soon OBJ
served the effect which Aattery had on
the man. They took every opportunity
to play on his weakness. At all the
public meetings which I attended the
speakers turned, not to the chairman,
but to Mr.. Wilson, who sat little way
from the table as if to mark his isola-
ton"
In his general attitude toward the
peace Mr.. Bass is inclined to agree
with the Keynes school. He puts eco
nomic considerations above all others.
He Is convinced that the small states
carved out of AustriaHungary and
Russia cannot stand alone and that
their existence imperils the economic
unity of Central Europe. His ideal is 81
return, economically at least, to the
pre-war status. And such u return ne
cessitates the recreation of a strong
and prosperous Germany. He is even
cold toward Poland, which he regards
as purely political and military state.
The Keynes theory leads to the con-
clusion that the var was a family mis-
understanding which ought to be for
gotten and that it's disastrous effects
on Germany and Austria Hungary
ought to be neutralized But this no.
ton runs counter to passions and in
stincts which 60 deeper than any mere
craving for economic well being. It
also offends natural sense of JUS
tice. Is Germany's colossal crime to
be condoned simply because Germany
happens to be the keystone of the Com
tinental economic system, and that 1t
will help Europe TO revive economically
if Germany quickly RECEIVERS the posi-
tion she held before the war?
The problem is extremely confused.
The new states of Czecho-Slovakia,
Austria, Hungary, Jugo-Slavia and even
Poland may be economically unstable
But it is much too soon to suggest that
they be scrapped in order TO give Ger
many another chance for a try at
world domination. France saved west
ern Europe. She richly deserves repa-
rations and guarantees for the future.
There ought to be no question, in this
generation at least, Of sacrificing
Frances interests in Europe TO Ger
many's. Yet such sacrifice is blandiy
demanded by the Keynesites when they
argue that the treaties must be amend.
ed so as TO restore as quickly as pos
sible the economic balance in Europe
which existed before the war.