The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-04-01
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright 1921
WASHINGTON. April l.. -Prelimi
nary conversations between the govern
ments of France and the United States
conducted by former Premier Viviani
and President Harding. Secretary OF
State Hughes and Under Secretary
Fletcher lead to the conclusion that i'm
portant developments win result from
the conferences. The American gov
eminent has taken advantage of the OPP
portunity to say informally to former
Premier Niviani exactly what it thinks
of the moral influence of the League OF
Nations and the likelihood of American
partnership, especially when that league
has thus far disregarded protests made
by the United States on matters vital
to- America In other words. former
Premier Niviani's enthusiasm for the
league has been countered. to some eX
tent, by pertinent questions concern
ing the meaning of the recent refusal
OF the League OF Nations to heed Amer
lcas protest concerning the japanese
mandate in the Island OF zap, and
other mandates in the near east.
Freedom of Action Paramount.
Broadly speaking former Premier VII
viani has learned already some funda-
mentals of the American policy that
must be taken into consideration. if
One OF these principles Is that the
United States mist not be left in a
position less free in world diplomac
than she had before 1911. Indeed, the
principle OF the open door," which
means freedom OF commercial opportun-
ity for American merchants, Is para
mount and the denial of that opportun-
ity in the extension of mandates has
been seized upon by the Harding admin
istration as an argument AGAINST the
| kind of league that IS IN existence at
present in Europe.
The details of Just what kind of am
association Of nations the Harding adj
mnlstration prefers nave not yet been
worked out. 1t Is too early for that
| Thus far the conversations have merely
covered general principles But the
Spokesman of the United States gov
eminent have made it clear that the
| traditional American policy calls for
| freedom of action all along the line. 1t
means Partnership with other nations
| for the preservation or peace but no
naFd and fast rules requiring the use Of
military force. III military force be
needed. the United States wants 30 be
in a position to nudge for itself whether
| the cause Is Just and whether il j.
matter in which the United States need
| participate. The tendency Is to let Eu
pean spheres of influence. whereas the
| United States will spondinglv look
| after such outbursts in this hemisphere
as threaten the peace and commerce of
the rest of the word.
Niviani's Visit Premature.
The continental idea is strongly i'm
! planted in the mind of the new admin
stration. 1t is a little early for the
| views of the Harding administration to
| 44,I.
| a sense, former Premier Niviani's visit
| Is a trihe premature. Charles Evans
/ Hughes, secretary of state, has hardly
! had a chance to familiarize himself with
the documents in the ease. 1t is one
/ thing to read i'm the newspapers what
has been done BY the United States gov
eminent in the last three or four years
| OF negotiation with Europe, and it is
quite another to study the exact phrase
| ology of American notes and papers and
arrive at conclusions that can be used
| in carrying those negotiations further
Thus far Mr.. Hughes, whose mind is
particularly well trained in the absurp-
ton of data in quick time. has not had
a fair chance to digest the material
at his elbow. He and his associ"+"s in
| the department of state are making q
| comprehensive survey of what has been
said and done by the preceding admin
| stTation This, to a certain extent, en-
| harnesses Mr.. Hughes in talks with for
MGR Premier NiViani, because he has
not been able to get through the mass
of papers which comprise the complete
record of Americas negotiations with
| Europe.
Hughes TO FTOITn Policy.
| Secretary Hughes, incidentally. will
carry on the principal conversations
with former Premier Niyiani and will
advise President Harding of the status
of each conference, so that before the
distinguished Frenchman sees the Presi.
! dent again. he will have had chance
to learn the fundamentals from Secre-
tary Hughes. Mr.. Harding himself is
relying on Mr.. Hughes to frame for
eign policy and therefore the real ne
gotiatiOns may be said to be going on at