The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1921-07-20
AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION
Harding's Foreign Policy In
cludes Settling Our Econom-
ic Relationship with Europe,
a Conference ON Disarma-
ment, and General Plan for
Preservation of Peace.
(By David Lawrencel .

Washington, July 19.-The United
States Government has entered into
informal discussions with Great
Britain, France, Italy and Japan to
determine whether they as members
of the group known as the Principal
Allied and Associated Powers" have
any objection to the making of sep
arate treaty between the United
States and Germany which shall in
clude in its text the same rights and
privileges granted the United States
in the economic and reparation
clauses of the Versailles treaty.
This step which has been in pro-
cess for several days is the alterna-
tive to the submission of the Versail-
les pact with reservations and if the
Allied powers interpose no objections
and no legal complications arise the
'tirreconcilables'' in the American
Senate will have their way to the ex-
tent that the original Versailles pact
will not be submitted to them again
while the pro-treaty element will
have the satisfaction of knowing that
approximately eighty per cent of the
Versailles pact will be included in
the new treaty to be negotiated with
Germany.
Objections from the Allies are not
anticipated though it is known that
France wuold have liked to see
A 80
and ratify it even though the reser-
yations excluded the league covenant
and participation in the enforcement
clauses of the treaty. France believes
the moral effect of Americas sigma
ture on the Versailles treaty is a val
uable asset in making Germany un-
derstand that the partnership of
powers begun during the war has by
other hand, the answer made here is
that Germany cannot possibly derive
any impression of division in the
allied ranks because she will be ask
ed to sign treaty containing clauses
on reparations as those almost identi-
cal with those in the Versailles pact.
Germany's obligation to pay for the
war will be just as much stressed in
the new German-American treaty as
in the Versailles convention.
There is in reality little difference
| in substance between the submission
+, of the Versailles pact with reserva-
tions and the alternative now being
worked out with the Allies covering
a separate treaty with Germany. But
there is a difference in form and it is
| is sufficient to cool the wrath of the
| ''irreconcilab1es' and make easier
the ratification of the treaty. Presi-
dent Harding and his Cabinet have
practically every day come face to
face with problems which cannot be
solved because Americas economic
relationship with Europe is unset
tied. It is with the idea of speedy
settlement of all important questions
pending with Europe that the sep
arate treaty plan has been more or
less determined upon. It's final appro-
l val Dy inc WILL VI
course depend upon the replies of the
Allies and the arguments they make
as to the validity of Americas rights
when granted under separate
i treaty. It does raise some interesting
legal points for while America will
J in one sense be withdrawing from
the partnership created by the joint
signatures on the Versailles treaty
she will be asking the partners to
agree to cession of the same rights
Through another instrumentality-
separate treaty.
4 Just now the Allies have more to
J gain than lose by agreeing to Amer
ica's wishes. The funding of the al
lied debt over a period of years
means more to the allies than techni-
] Continued on page 81