The Washington herald., 1921-05-15
Sees Administration Move
Dictated By Demands Of
Economic Conditions Here

serve American solidarity with our
former allies and thus avoid cham
pionshlp Of Germany and. at the
same time to endsavor to persuade
Germany TO make scme proposal on
her own part. which might serve as
the basis Of new discrssion and
thus avoid that thing the United
States 1or its own material inter-
ests was most anxious to avoid.
namely new military operation In
the midst Of Europe. already pros
trated by economic disturbances.
Germans Blind.
In this purpose Mr.. Hughes failed,
but only because German policy
was blind or German statesmen too
weak to face the truth. The pro-
posal made by the German govern
ment was too palpsbly inadequate to
permit any new discussion. In
permitting the proposal. wholly in
formally, to reach the allied gov
ernments Mr.. Hughes with great
fr1nkness and clarity indicated
that the United States was and
intended to remain associated with
rs anu III uu6
course of time these allies made
clear the truth already patent, that
the proposals were not such as to
Jner an acceptable basis for fresh
discussions.
But 1t must be apparent that
while these discussions were going
on America was once more becom-
ing very completely engaged in
world affairs. n point of fact one
was carried back irresistibly to
moments in the Paris conference in
the ten days while the German pro-
posal was still unrejected the hy-
pothesis that the United States was
still isolated disappeared and Wash
ington entered into very close and
intimate relations with London.
Paris and even with Berlin. At the
close of the period, there was no
longer any question of isolation.
Facts Unchanged.
But the main fact remained un-
changed. The allies met at Lon-
don and decided upon a program
of reparations and of penalties
with respect to Germany. Mr..
Hughes note to Germany inviting
that country to make a new pro-
posal and make 1t directly to Lon
don, demolished the last lingering
hope in German minds that Ameri-
cas- economic concerns in the Ger
man and Central European markets
would enlist her on the German
side. Thus, not only had we come
back to Europe, but we had come
back an ally, to the exact extent we
had been an ally. when we left the
supreme council after the failure
of the treaty.
1t was logical and inevita BILE,
that the Supreme Council
should, in its turn, having disposed
of the German matter, invite US to
resume our position at the council
table of the allied nations. And 1t
was equally logical and inevitable
that President Harding should ac-
cept the invitation. In reality we
had been a prominent participant in
European affairs for many days be-
fore we actually consented to be
represented in the Supreme Council.
and consent only recognized an
existing fact.
Dinerepce I'm Purpose.
1t is plain, however, that in re-
turning to the European council
table, President Harding and his ad-
visers have quite different concep-
tions OF American participation than
had President Wilson. The latter
went to Paris to establish a world
system intended to abolish war.
The league of nations was the be-
all of that former participation. To
realize that purpose Mr.. Wilson
agreed to many conditions, made
many concessions, which in the end
contributed to the defeat of
the treaty of Versailles in the SEN
ate. In the minds of many Ameri-
cans. at least, we stod bound to de-
fend European frontiers and to pre-
serve a settlement, some features of
which. notably Shantung, offended
ustiCe an ddid violence to
interests.
In President Harding's conception,
which, after all. is the policy framed
by Mr. Hughes and those of like be-
lief and endorsed by the President,
no such grandiose objective explains
the new American participation.
We are going to sit into an economic
whose chief purpose is
to restore economic stability in the
world. We are going to sit there
because we have an enormous stake
In the game, a stake represented by
billions already loaned and by enor-
nous accumulations of raw ma
terials waiting the return of order
before they can find a European
market.
Beyond Concern.
As to political questions, issues
which have only a European signifi-
eance, questions OF frontiers, al
liances and guarantees, the uues-
tions which fill ali the accounts of
the sessions at the Paris conference
which are now being published on
all sides, with these, under Mr..
Hughes plan our representative
will have no concern. We shall not
undertake to resolve the dispute
between Poland and Lithuania over
wilma or between Albania and
Greece over Northern Epirus. We
shall not forbid Greek possession of
korytza or deny Roumanian rights
in Bessarabia.
But it is manifest that the cotton
OF the South and he copper of the
North, the raw materials which
constitute SO important a fraction
OF our exports, cannt be sold in Cen
trail Eurpe, while the conditions of
Central Europe remain chaotic. II
We are ever to be repaid what wa