The Washington herald., 1921-04-24
AMERICA MUST NEGOTIATE
WITH ALLIES IN REJECTING
TREATY, DECLARES SIMONDS
Administration Hopeful Europe Will Send
Representatives Here.

reductions of its claims upon its
associates.
Give and Take.
1t seems to me that to assume
that, because the United States Is
manifestly affected by economic
unrest in Europe and because this
unrest is due in part to the question
of reparations, we have the right or
could acquire the privilege to pro-
cure. a reduction of the sum total
Of German reparations, is 10
imagine a vain thing. What the
Harding administration has yet to
learn is that for every concession
to its own interests. IL must expect
to pay in concessions to European
interests, This was the final lesson
of the Paris Conference.
g Mr.. Hughes has said over and
over again that the United States is
intimately concerned with every
phase of the world economic situ-
alton. 1t is a favorite phrase, bor-
rowed from official sources. that
every American consumer and tax
payer is affected by the European
situation. But it is not realized
with SUFFICIENT clarity, that to OBJ
tain benefit for the same tax
payers and Sconsumers, we shall
have to pay IN kind. 49,
Moreover. since we have decided
to- reject all Of the treaty Of Ver-
sailles which is not of benefit to
us, Is II unreasonable to expect
that similar policy may presently
be adopted by one or more Euro
pean powers II the treaty of Ver-
sailles is mainly rejected by the
United States, why should IL not be
rejected by France Certainly the
objections are no more than tech
nical.
A French Alternative.
Let US suppose that France
should find in the present German
attitude in a final refusal on May
1 to meet the conditions laid down
in the treaty. of Versailles, war
rant for action against Germany,
which might amount to a declara-
ton OF war. Let us conceive that
France should repudiate the work
OF Clemenceau as we have
-scraped", that of Wilson.
Certainly there is. quite as much
justification for the French. They
resigned permanent occupation Of
the Rhine barrier sin return for
guarantee against
German attack. Bot the American
Senate will not rafify that treaty,
and the British ratification is value
less without the American. France
has then lost security. In the same
way France resigned her claims
to the Sarre Basin. in the face of
Anglo-American opposition.
France has, in reality lost every
thing which Clemenceau bargained
for in the conference Of Paris. She
Is now thrown back upon her own
resources to collect reparation. She
has been compelled already to re-
duce her reparations claims. Aside
from possession OF the provinces of
AlsaceTLorraine, temporary owner.
ship Of Sarre coal mines under
league of nations direction and
limited occupation OF the left bank
of the Rhine, she has nothing to
show for her victory. .'
Orc wsy Out.
Why then should not the French
free themselves from the treaty of
Versailles? They can do Il by the
simple recourse Of a. declaration of
war. Following the declaration they
can go to Berlin. At Berlin they
can write a new treaty Of peace
which insures them permanent oc-
cupation Of the Rhine barrier and
absolute title to. the Sarre Basin,
which will give to their Polish ally
the equally clear title to Danzig and
to the Silesian coal fields. And at
Berlin they can make final terms
covering the whole subject Of repa-
rations. ztfA
I am aware that such. a program
will seem to some Of my readers
fantastic and to: others criminal.
But. stripped Of all details, It repre-
sents very fair repetition of the
American course. We found the
Versailles bargain totally unsatis-
factory and we repudiated It. The
French have been caught where we
escaped, but do they need to stay
caught!
Rests with Ameriea.
In my. judgment. such a French
course will be made almost newt
able IL American decision to avoid
all commitments and work solely
for the protection of America eco
nomic interests, Is followed.
In my Judgment. then. II. would be
a mistake to overlook the fact that
one consequences Of the positive dec
1arations OF the Harding administra-
ton in the matter of foreign policy
may be the J'iscrappipg. of the
treaty Of Versailles by the French.
OF course IL France goes to Berlin
american business will suffer-. So
viii Rrit,sh. But will either Britain
or the United States undertake to
secure. for France the things which
every Frenchman holds essentialf
u. 8. Must CsnDronise.
Now. axacfiv fheaa facts wJlr 4. -.