The Washington herald., 1921-04-10
Hughes Job to Kill German Hopes
For u. S. Aid and at Same Time to
Avoid Hoodwinl<ing by the Allies

of those responsible. to avoid en-
barassing or crippling our debtors
by asking for too prompt or too
excessive payments at the moment
II we are unwilling to be benefac-
tors. we shall not be usurers. or
even exigent creditors.
Now look backward for a moment
and see what this frankly low but
not necessarily halting or impre-
else policy has led to. We have not
committed ourselves to anything,
SO far as European entanglements
are concerned. But we have indi-
Gated that the purpose Of the new
administration is to sustain our al
lies in the realization of what was
their established right, as a conse-
quence Of the common victory. We
have not only avoided, but repulsed
all efforts by the Germans to use
US for their ends in the great Euro
pean game they are playing. They
know now that II they refuse to
pay, II they refuse to disarm, the
punishment which follows will not
awaken our protest.
As for our former associates. they
know that we are friendly. sympa-
thetic, willing to lend all of our
moral aid to their difi1cult task OF
dealing with a German. who re-
mains, for the half at least. "Boche'
in spirit and in action. But they
must also perceive that President
Harding and the Secretary OF State
look with no little suspicion and
frank resentment upon certain
sharp practices, which have been
disclosed in the case of mandates.
Mesopotamian OIL. above all in the
matter of zap. We are willing to
be friendly. considerate, generous.
according to our own lights, but to
be hoodwinked. deceived. separated
from things we hold our own, made
the victims of foreign policy. OF
a diplomacy. far more adroit in op-
Grafton than our-own-on this score.
the answer in good American argot
is frankly-"nothing doing"
Not Fooled About Russia, Either.
This, 1t seems to me. is about as
far as the new administration has
progressed in its foreign policy. up
to date save in the case of Russia,
but there. too, there has been clar-
ity. We are not going to associate
with murderers In order to pursup
imaginary trade and we are not go
ing to recognize a system of govern
ment which is founded upon an in
judicious combination of assasslna-
tion with anarchy, merely to lay
hands on problematical concessions.
AS to Russia, we are, not with
out patient reason, still from Mis-
souri," just as, in the case of Ger
many. we are still signatories OF
the treaty of Versailles, SO far as
1t affects territories and repara-
tions payments.
Now NJ. Viviani comes to Wash
ington and asks-what? Many
things, but first of all, that the
United States neither withdraw its
troops from Germany nor pass the
Knox resolution. At the moment i
write this article, he has been told
that both things are likely to hap
pen, that the latter is well nigh
certain. or course what the distin-
guished Frenchman is after is the
avoidance of any american action,
which shall give the German new
Inspiration for resistance, afford any
pretext for belief that the United
States sympathizes with the, German
resistance. But It Is the view of
the Harding administration that the
circumstances which attach to the
passage of the Knox resolution may
deprive 1t of any valae for the Ger
man. 49,
Here again, there is the obvious
desire to combine American, In.
ItaraQt4 with ~ natinnQ xphtRH
were recently, our associates. We
are not willing to sacrifice Ameri-
can interests, there is no reason un-
der the sun why we should continue
in technical state of war with
Germany. when all other nations
are at peace and doing business with
the Germans. But there is a valid
reason why we, should not permit
our action, to injure Britain or
France or benefit Germany. when
German policy has entitled Ger
many to no such beneft.
solace to Germany Taboo.
do not undertake to forecast
that the. Knox resolution will be
passed, although It seems probable.
1t may be that the treaty Of Ver-
saillcs. minus every league Of ma
tions circumsttice. will be put
through. But ! am sure that what
ever way may be chosen by which
to make peace with Germany, the
German will draw no open or con-
cealed support for resistance there
from. So much>is written into every
thing that the new administration
has said or done, and this is not a
small thing for our European friends,
even IL II falls far short of the max
mum of their hopes
1t. is doubtless accurate to say
that the new administration Is feel
ng its way and thatthe predominant
Is caution. but moi
only is this natural. but also, In the
midst OF all the caution there does
not seem to be as much real as ap-
parent confusion. After all. Mr.
Hughes' problcn uuder PrAafdeuf