Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-05
Circulation Every OOC0
Evenlng Yesterday LCCLO
TUESDAY. APRIL 5, 1921.
INpoRsiNG THE LEAGUE.

lNnORSiNG THE LEA1t f.
II was predicted In these columns sew
,rai weeks ago that when former Pre-
uier viviani Of France visited the
limited stat.e and conferred with the /
President and his advisers. that the /
Administration would do one OF two
thtnRs. announce. after conferences
With the French diplomat, that the
United States would make plans to
-nter the League OF Nations with such
reservations as the Republican lead
~rs would desire; or. that a diplomatic
statement would be made. placing the
vn,ted States behind the Allies in their
rspsrauons demand on the German
novernmant
vt,tani has arrived: he has conferred
xr,th IN. President and the Secretary Of
state he has talked international mat
tera with the leaders Of the dominant
rartv he has laid before the Admins
trntion the desire OF the French gov
.rnment that Tits government should
MOI desert its wartime associates in
their hour of need. The result OF these
negotiations is that a special dispatch
now an route TO Berlin. The text Of
!, VIII not be made public unul the re-
epients have read IL but Il has been
announced semi-ofiicially IN Washing
nm that the note demanded that Ger
many acknowledge responsibility for
the war. and pay reparations within her
ntiity % pay.
Thus vivisnrs mission has borne
fruit The United States at last has
gone on record IS approving the de-
n,ands which the Allies through the
Rsparations Commission OF the League
o. Nations. made upon the common
enemy.
The Administrations stand Is par
tal indication Of the Wilson policies.
rhe former Administration intended
taa, The United states should not leave
fne side n her associates until Ger
many had complied with all the terms
of the Versailles pact. The provisions
~ that pact which direct the handling
cf reparations and indemnities came
under the sphere Of the Leagues 40
tvities. The Reparations Commission
- body formed under the League:
authority When the Administration
approves OF the demands which tina
commission Is making. it goes on rec
ord as favoring the League whethe
we are in il or not at the present tim
does not matter; we officially approv
ofits acts. we stand beside our associ
ates. and we endorse the policies Of tn
Versailles conference.
Yet press dispatches today frOr
Washington say that the Senate Wi
pass the Knox separate peace resolu
tion unless Mr.. Harding can organic
a separate association Of nations With
the next ninety days. One does nc
wish 20 be dsrespectful Of the Presider
-bat y is hoping too much that ma
n MI Hardlng's calibre can cause nor
than 40 nations already in TIL
LEAGUE. 10 forsake that body With
tho next three months and flock to h
standard II IS hardly possible, eve
though We hold the purse strings Of II
world today.
Nj Harding upholds the honor
the nation hy demanding that Ge
many pay tne cost OF the debacle whic
mat country started. But he cann
bring himself to advocate entrance in
the League Of nations. which was Il
braiu-chnd OF Woodrow Wilson-tt
one man whom the professional ReDu
Ucan politicians hate worse than II
Satanic Majesty who rules Hades. N
.lsrdiug may approve Of the League
policies bat II is asking too much tn
81 ehaure hts course now. He and b
party ao not possess enough polite
keel.