The Washington herald., 1921-08-25
viii Have Month of Re
cess to Study 1t
Over. y
APPEARS LIKELY
TO BE RATIFIED
Pacts With Austria and
Hungary Also Said
To Be Ready.
BY ROBERT J. BENDER


treaty, framed by the administra-
ton as a substitute for the long
contested Versailles pact. has been
concluded. And as a result OF yes
erday's initial conference between
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes with members OF the Sem
ate Foreign Relations Committee
on the new document. it seems
likely to be ratified by the Senate
after It returns from 1t months re-
cess
By that time, too. negotiations
between the United States and
Hungary for a separate treaty are
expected to have been concluded and
informal reports here last night
told also of he signing of the
United States-Austrian treaty al
Vienna. Thus, within a month the
final establishment of the United
States on a definite basis of peace
with the central powers will be
well on its way toward conple-
tion-
Explained to Committee.
Tho President yesterday called
in Republican members of the SEN
ate Foreign Relations Committee
and explained the document to
them. Later Senator Hughes went
TO the Capitol. to explain the
trsaty's purposes to the full COM
mittee, both Republicans and DEM
ocrats. To the credit Of their per-
these two administration leaders
with all factions in the Senate ap-
pCared - have won a very general
support.
only Senators Borah and John
son. original irreconcilables, appear
to be strong doubtful factors. John
son was not in Washington for
either the Presidents conference or
Hughes exposition Borah. who
did not attend the Harding confer
ence hut did attend the conferences
with Hughes. wished to analyzA the
new treaty terms before sanction
Ins the document.
The peace treaty-for such is the
document offered by the Administra-
tion as a complete substitute for
the Versailles pact. now definitely
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES inc uCindhuo VI ZIG
irreconcilables in that II Is a sep
arate pact, based on the Porter
Know peace resolution embodying
terms of that resolution almost
verbatim. It also appeases that ele-
ment. INCLUDING Democrats. which
has favored embodiment Of .c''-
norlic provisions OF the treaty of
Versailles.
Follows Versailles Pact.
II specially stipulates that provi-
sions of the Versailles document
in which this governments inter-
ests are inextricably bound up. shall
be recognized by Germany. A fore
cast is these dispatches. this protec-
tion covers approximately so per
cent of the economic provisions OF
the Versailles treaty. the exact Ian
4 ruaEe of which Is not repeated be-
cause of a blanket provision cover
Ing the whole.
That the pact Is no protocol and,
no treaty of amity and commerce.
as had been forecast in some quar-
ters administration spokesmen
made clear 1t is the substitute
peace treaty. SO long awaited. II
was stated 1t will be submitted to
the Senate and German Reichstag
for ratification and. pending ex-
change of such notifications, the
status between the United States
and Germany will remain technl-
cally the same. Interchange of
diplomatic representatives and the
resumption of formal relations gen
orally must await ratification by the
Senate. Commercial treaties will
be a matter for future negotiation.
President Harding felt that with
the signing of the pact. particular
ly IL there were a favorable re-
action in the Senate to the docu-
ment, the uncertainty would be re-
moved and there would be no need
of the Senate abandoning recess
plans in order to ratify the treaty.
AS a result the Senate and Reich
stag will debate the measure stimuli
taneously after the return of Con-
gress, because the Reichstag con-
venes September 20.
Time to Study II.
Senators, now advised Of the
treaty terms, will have a months
opportunity to think them over, dis
cuss the provisions with the folks
back home. and be ready for de-
cision when they return to Wash
inRton. Democrats will discuss
with their leaders, both in and out
of Congress. the advisability of
making a fight. But, at present IL
seems the treaty VIII pass the SEN
ate without prolonged debate. The
treaty principles are broad and the
manner in which they are to be
carried into effect will be the SUBJ
ject of further deliberations In
many instances.
American citizens hold a variety
Of claims against Germany. totalin~
several hundred million dollars
These are chiefly for damages re-
sulting from the submarine war
fare, and include damages for losses
Of vessels and lives. The claims Of
the Lusitania victims. which have
been in the hands Of the State De-
partment for many months. are
probably the principal item.
May Restore German Property.
Involved. also are several hundred
million dollars worth Of property of
German citizens sequeseered by the
American government at the out
break Of war. and held since as a
lever to force the Germans to make
suitable settlements of claims. The
way viii be open for the restora-