The Washington herald., 1921-04-13

caused apprehension and criticism
in Europe has been the impression
drawn from the viviani conversa-
tions with various Senators. that
American policy envisaged the total
"scrspping" of the treaty Of Yer
sailles. which established the It'll.
Of all European nations to the terri.
tories taken from Germany. Under no
circumstances would the European
nations join in any such UndertAk-
ing and the President has recog-
niZcd the fact as contrssted with
the theory. so frequently advanced
! in the past.
So much for the momentous de-
cision to undertake to make peace
under the treaty OF Versailles.
which is easily one Of the most
| striking circumstances in the whole
/ treaty hghL II means a new con-
ference, d conference OF Washing
I ton. to adjust American relations TO
the decisions OF the treaty Of Yer
Esilles. and, unless all contemporary
I reports are mistaken, IL means the
arrival OF Elihu Root as ope Of the
most potent figures in the new ne
gotiation.
4 SIEsIfesnt Words Recalled.
Men arc recalling today the Sig
nihcant words, asCribed 90 TIM I'r.s-
| ident at the moment when discus
sion was general as to the failure
Ia appoint Mr.. Root Secretary Of
| state. At that time Mr. Harding
was quoted as saying that he had
in mind something else which would
be the crowning incident in distin-
guished public service Of the for
! mer Secretary Of State.
As to the league OF nations detail.
the President has taken sound and
unassailable ground in rejecting the
league as the executive Of the war
| The hopeless intermixture OF duties
on the one hand concerned with
preserving the rights Of the victors
| as established by the war. and on
tho other Of undertaking to prevent
| future wars-remains the fatal de-
| feet in the whole conception.
To attempt to administer the
| Sarre Basin and the DanziE area.
to guarantee existing frontiers and
/ perpetuate victory achievements
may be the mission of an alliance.
but obviously cannot be the funr-
tion of an association to prevent
future wars. Incidentally Mr.. Hard
ing indicates something Of the char
aCter Of the association which he
will later seek to promote.
Cites senate Peace Resolution.
The third detail in tho message.
which affects world affairs. namely
the abolition Of the technical state
Of war by Senate resolution. by
some form Of the Knox resolution.
assumes its proper relation 20 the
larger question Of peace. when
viewed in the light Of the Presi-
| dents remarks. IL becomes. IN fact.
a minor detail. a mere technicalfty
of itself, necessary but devoid of
any larger significance. as IL will
| certainly be destitute OF any dec
laration of policy. Moreover. by re-
affirming Mr.. Hughes statement 20
Germany. the President robs such
a resolution OF any consolation for
the Germans by withholding any
colorado character OF sympathy
with German resistance 90 siiied
PREPARATION demands.
| There remains final circur-
| stance. Courteously but hrmly the
| President takes from the Senate
the function Of negotiating with
Il
Sentatives The lesson Of the VI
viani incident hasN sunk deeply.
The dangers incident to the al
tempt Of the leaders Of the ma
iority party in the Senate to deal
directly with foreign countries arc
too obvious to need emphasis, and
the process is too clearly outside
the constitutional limits of Sera-
torisl duties to require debate The
battle between President Wilson
and the Republicans Of the senate
is over. The Presidents message
recognizes the victory ~ the Sem
ate and consolidates that part OF
the triumph which is essential.
But the time has come for inter
national affairs 70 return 20 the
control Of those who. under the
Constitution are charged with IL
task OF negotiating treaties.
Sees Historic Struggle Endek
In the larger sense. it seems -
me. the Presidents message marks
the end Of a great. an historic
struggle. President wilson's Paris
undertakings are TO be scrapped
| His league OF nations is to be re-
jected defnitively A resolution
abolishing q technical state Of war.
which he vetoed. viii be passed with
the approval OF the new Chief Ex-
ecutivc The treaty OF Versailles
4 will be remade, so far as Americas
interests and relations are con-
cerned- But it VIII be remade hy
i the executive branch OF the govern
ment. and there VIII be no real at
Il tempt to carry the battle of the iast