The Washington herald., 1921-04-18
Resuming Relations.

MO ONE knows just why President Wilson
" withdrew this governments representative
unofficiay associated with the supreme council in
consideration and settlement of the conditions OF
the peace treaty. 1t is useless to speculate
to his motives. But the result has been to demon
strate that, whether will not this country is
entanged with the economics of Europe that by
comparison the scrambling of the league covenant
with the treaty, but simple addition
1t is announced that President Harding will
restore the former relations assigning to this
duty the same representative Mr.. Wilson recalled.
The United States is directly interested in the
nomc, financial and Of the political provisions
of the treaty. How these interpreted and en-
forced materially concerns this people. Resuming
this unofficial but advisory and consultve relation
is an inevitable step in the Presidents program.
He has taken the position that until this gov
ernment definitely refuses to ratfy the treaty, or
negotiates a separate one, it has not surrendered
waived any OF its rights under this treaty. This
being so, must "sit-in" as to its administration.
The fact that the allies consent to this and the
resumption of such relations will go far to granting
all Secretary Hughes has reserved in the dispute
over mandatories.
If this government has the right to be there
now, it has always had that right, and any acts
during its absence, become open to retision. 1t
will be, by inference, concession that such mat
reviewed. There will not be sticking over techni-
caties nor an inclination to further friction.
France has already intimated that she will con-
cede the correctness of Mr.. Hughes position to
Yap. She will doubtless her good offices, if
needed, to persuade Japan to also yield. There is
little doubt that Great Britain will take the same
view, and is but waiting Japan's concurrent action.
Japan can we'll afford this concession, and cannot
afford to refuse it.
AS the correspondence shows, Mr.. Hughes took
a position as to Yap very different from that of his
predecessor He did not hinge his argument on
the record, the meaning of phrases, omissions or
commissions He took the broad unassailablc ground
that as an associate in the and one of those to
whom Germany directly surrendered possession Of
all her overseas possessions, those could not be
disposed of without this governments consent.
They were and are held in common.
This made the issue big, plain and conclusive.
1t must be conceded, as refusal would practically
compel this government to then act directly with
Germany. Either this country is or is not of the
partnership far unsettled assets concerned
and these matters of assets could not be settled
without its agreement. If this is conceded, this
government and will step back into the same
relations the allies and the treaty, before
Mr.. Wilson washed his hands of it.
The way will then be open for further and
friendly understanding and agreement to and in
just what form this country will accept and ratfy
the treaty 1t will be the treaty changed only
so as to exclude the covenant, and with such
vatons will make it acceptable to the necessary
Senate two-thirds.