The Washington herald., 1921-04-28
BY ROBERT J. BENDER.


whether OF not the present German
reparations note constitutes the
proper basis for a new deal on
the problem, il at least has opened
door which the United States will
not entirely close.
Terms Of the note. as IL now
stands, are not satisfactory in
numerous details The big question.
however. centers in whether there
is enough of promise in the docu-
ment To encourage pursuing its lead
further.
This question. it may be stated on
the highest authority. has not been
decided. The decision awaits receipt
Of oficiaI word from the allied cap
itals as 10 their reaction 10 the
proposal And such word. 1t 10
stated officially. has not yet come
either formally or informally from
any of the allied powers.
Pending the outcome Of er-
changes now going on between
England and France, the situation
briefly is this:
Hope for Settlement.
l-Administration leaders hon.
that the present situation will lead
20 steps toward a definite repara-
tions settlement and avoidance Of
allied occupation Of the Ruhr.
Reports from Europe indicat-
ing that the British and Italians
hope that way may be found out
of the present serious situation
were confirmed in diplomatic quar-
tiers here.
3-Unless there were detn,t.
agreements that q solution could he
+ reached at the next repsra,iors
conference, the United States would
NOT participate in il.
4-Considerable significance was
attached to the dispatch 70 BerIi,
by England Of certain questions de-
signed to clarity points in tn. Ger.
man proner.
Frepch Position.
D. France. with ASSURANCES ~
support by England in her rrensrs-
tions for occupying the Ruhr. has
placed LLOYD George in a delicst.
position and the exchanges between
Lloyd George and BRAND NAV weu
hold the key TO the whole situation
In connection with the latter sit
uation and particularly m view Of
the strong opposition to the German
note which press reports attribute
to the French government. wide
comment was caused here by con
| ferenees former Secretary Of state
Elihu Root had yesterday with
Secretary Hughes and French Am
bassador Jusserand Root has been
frequently mentioned as the man
who would represent this govern
ment IL or when the time comes
to reopen problems involved in the
7 treaty Of Versailles.
Government DenisIs.
: The only official comment thus
far has been devoted largely to en-
. phatic denials Of the following:
, That this government had decid-
E ed not to forward the German nots
to the allies; that France and Eng
land had informally advised this
3 government that the note was not
{ satisfactory; that publication OF the
, text OF the note by the German
+. government had irritated the State
: Department so that a settlement
e was impossible; and that this gov
i ernment had directed to Berlin some
counter-questions on the note.
a These deniaIs not only were on
> cislly uttered with convincing force
I but the manner Of the denisls car
e ried the impression that the orig
e iRal reports were sources OF consid-
cradle Irritation. The only construc-
|. tive oficisl statement was a reiter-
/, alton ofeSecretsry Hughes original
position that the German note II
forwarded at all. would be for-
!. wsrded in a manner satisfactory
to the allies"
n Analogy Drawn.
: There is an interesting analogy
= 10 be drawn between the situation
= lconfrontipg the United states and
1.-THE allied governments today on
e the reparations problem and that
confronting former President WI
son and the allied powers when
Prince Max of Baden dispatched his
historic fnal plea for peace on be-
half Of the German government
nearly three years ago. Thea as
5 NV. there was strong skepticisn
; G. i'nIcd with great opposition IN