The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-05-09


ut Present.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer) II
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The United
States government has placed itself ire
1ocably alongside its associates in the war
" the decision to participate in all coun-
ellis on questions growing out of the Euro
pean conflict.
ANY hope that America would act the
part of neutral as between the allies
and Germany has been swept away.
when a new treaty is negotiated either
with the Versailles pact as a basis or a /
pattern. the Germans win get small COM
fort out of it.
H Irrespective Of the league of nations /
controversy, the Harding administration !
is carrying forward the policy of the pre-
ceding administration in endeavoring to |
cooperate with Europe for the benefit of
the world.
The foregoing points are emphasized to-
day as the national capital realizes that
gradually President Harding and Secre7I
tary Hughes are defining American ford
Il
. gether inconsistent with that of the pre-
ceding regime in Washington.
III The passage of the Knox resolution by
! the senate. hailed as a victory for the
/ "irreconcilables. was short-lived. That
: resolution which has not yet passed the
j house does not mean a separation Of the
I United States from the allies All such
! thoughts have been dissipated by the ac-I
Il ton of the government herein accepting
4 the allied invitation for a resumption of
j the partnership entered into during the
I war.
! Indeed. the expectation that imme-
u diately after the passage of the Knox reSO-
4 luton the United States would send an
Y ambassador to Germany is also without
II foundation. Senator Lodge himself stated
: to the senate that the Knox resolution was
u law and not a treaty. Until a treaty
Il or agreement of some kind is entered into
: with the Berlin government diplomatic
II relations between Germany and the United
4 States will not be resumed.
u Technically. of course, there is no
II legal reason why the United States cannot
: send an ambassador to Berlin, even be-
u fore a treaty is negotiated and ratified
II Many n precedent exists for such pro-
= cedurP. But the government here realizes
II that the resumption of diplomatic rela-
4 tions with Germany carries with IL more
y than passing significance, and conveys a
II moral effect of extraordinary Importance.
Until Germany, for example, makes sat
III isfactory settlement of the claims growing
II out of the sinking of the Lusitania-a
y subject to be fully covered in any treaty,
III with Berlin-it would be difficult for rea-
4 sons of sentiment TO send an ambassador
y to Berlin. That, at any rate, IS the pres
II ent feeling here.
The public may expect therefore. that
ii Mr.. Dresel. the American commissioner
i in Berlin will continue indefinitely at his
y post negotiating any new agreements or
I'll fpno mo- hn la-
= carrying on of relations between the
U United States and Germany. The depart
Il ment of state is very much pleased with
= the tact which Commissioner Dresel has
III exhibited thus far and for the next sew
Il eral months anyway he will remain in
y charge of American interests in Berlin.
III The determination to wait until treaty
= is signed before sending an ambassador
j to Berlin will perhaps come as a disap-
4 pointment to those who believed the Knox
y resolution would bring immediate peace
I'll between the United States and Germany.
i But the policy now is to regard that
u resolution as simply a domestic AFFAIR."
n repeal of the war laws on the statute
= books of the United States.
j When the Knox resolution is considered
II in the house incidentally there will be
much debate over its form. AS passed by
al the senate ii not only declares n state Of
n peace, but ii repeats the resolution BY
" which America entered the war. Many
zl Republicans feel that while a declara-
= ton of a state of peace is desirable. there
j is no necessity for repeating the original
81 war resolution. Usually a treaty of
y peace acts rs an automatic repeal of a
III war resolution, The specific repeal in
i this case, however is looked upon as carry
u ing dangerous consequences of a lega
Il nature. The argument is made that sucl
= a repeal may invalidate many acts of the
government done under the authority oi
n the war resolution. But fundamentally
n the objection to it is sentimental Many
NJ members of congress believe it may be re
= garded as an expression of regret for the
3 original declaration of war.