The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-04-07
olicy toward the other nations of

out policy toward the other nations of
the world.
The new policy will not be isolation.
1t will not be a return to the old days
of diplomatic seclusion. 1t will mean
that as world power America win not
cease to be aggressive where her rights
are concerned and that America recog-
nizes the Importance of playing her part
in preserving world peace, if any nation
or government threatened to disturb eli
vilization again.
Will Avoid QuarreIs.
Mr.. Harding is loath to talk formulas.
Principles of action, however. are al
ready imbedded in the minds of the
president and the secretary of state.
The endeavor viii be to play an indie
pendent role in world politics, using the
moral influence of America to assist in
those matters which the United States
considers her interest and Withholding
American participation from anything
that involves us in quarrels or COntro-
yersies in which we have no vital con-
Germ. The Wilson policy was based on
an atrustlc conception of America ;
mission in the world. The Harding pol
icy is based upon a consideration of the
probabilities OF a situation in which a
series Of changing factors make it seem
advisable to- exercise complete freedom
of action, for the time being at least.
by John Hay and known as the open
door policy" which is to be a cardinal
factor in the Harding program. Origin
ally, it was applied to the far east. but
it Is hencefoTth to be extended around
the world and i to be the basis for
Americas claim that She be given equal
Ity OF commercial opportunity, whether
or not the treaty of Versailles bestows
special privileges on signatOry nations.
In other words, the United States will
derive her rights to equality of trade
by reason of her part i'm winning the
war. She viii claim rights that accrued
to her out OF the signing OF the arms
tice and not necessarily out of an un-
ratified treaty. which put into effect
most of the terms of that aTmistice.
Foreign Loans an Asset.
The mandate situation is case in'
point. The allies have been managing
glons originally owned by Germany.
he reparatlOn question, too, Is one in
which America has a vital interest. All
these things were covered i'm the Yer
sailles treaty. Having turned its back
on that document, the American policy
hereafter will be to conserve as many
rights as were given other nations I'M
der that pact. The United States holds
as d valued asset the foreign loans which
she made during the war. She does
not mean to be eliminated from cOnsid-
Grafton of every thing that directly or
indirectly affects the return to the
American people of the ten billion dol
lars that was loaned. The Washington
government intends to have its say in
all questions involving trade with Ger
many or Russia, as the case may be, and
will express her viewpoint whenever it
becomes necessary to do so, Already
the American government has advised
Germany that this government feels
Germany is responsible for the war and
must pay for the damage done. That
is the first of a series of statements
which will take the place of any sig
nature on the Versailles treaty and will
leave the department OF state without
pledges of concrete action.
Peace Plans Outlined.
The hope for an association of nations
has not been dimmed. There is no de
sire here to ask Europe to abandon the
present league, II that particular aSSo-
citation suits the needs of the rest of
the world. There is no reason also
why a new organization in the world
shall not have the partnership of as
many members OF the present league OF
nations as seek to Join it. For the mo-
ment the Harding administration is in
sisting on American rights and claims
throughout the globe.
The Knox resolution in amended form
win declare technical state of peace
with Germany Thereafter there will
be separate treaty Win Germany, UNI
less some genius in international law
provides a formula wlsorohv the good
parts of the treaty of Versailles APP
| proved by Mr.. Harding can be inter
woven in a new treaty satisfactory to
| America and her allies. Mr. Harding
| foresees no chance of using the treaty
without causing considerable embarrass-
i abroad il, faDripr II TT But
he has given everybody to understand
that there is no special hurry about the
new association of nations or the new
treaty, nor even the Knox resolution
The Harding administration wants tC
| feel its way slowly.