Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-04-08
IN GERMANY All
REQUEST OF ALLIES.
Versailles Treaty Has No Connection
With Americas Action III Matter.

Washington.-The request Of tho
United States that she be reimbursed
for tho $3.50, 900, 900 which she has OK
pended to maintain soldiers on the
Rhine since the conclusion OF peace
has started an uproar IN Europe. With
ono accord the leading allied powers
have protested they were under no obli
cations to reimburse the United States
for the cost Of maintning her sol.
diers in Germany, inasmuch rs she did
not agree to the Treaty Of Versailles.
With one accord they insist that she
look to Germany for payment. Tho
comments in British newspapers AMI
by British leaders arc very causttc,
representing the United States as be
ing grasping and mercenary and trying
to obtain something to which she legal
ly has no right. French comment goes
even farther, in that it asserts that I,
Americas claims are an "unfriendly !
act"
These protests and comments are tax |
en- up, repeated and approved by the !
Democratic press Of this country, !
which as usual, finds 1t easier to
agree and sympathize with European
critics OF America than to stand up
for Americanism. Democratic news.
papors join In the European chorus to
the effect that, inasmuch as the United
States did not ratify the Treaty Of Yer
sailles 1T can not expect to be REIN.
bursed for the cost Of maintaining
troops on the Rhine.
III point Of fact and the official rec.
Fds these statements are grossly and
absolutely untrue. The maintenance
of American sold ers on the Rhine
have nothing at oil 20 do with the Vet
sailles treaty
Under the terms OF the Versailles
treaty the allied powers were to main
tain armed forces In German TERRITORY
IN order to see that the German gov
eminent obeyed the terms OF the treaty
Under the terms Of the treaty Ger.
many was to pay the allies for the cost
Of maintaining these troops on her
soil. This was exactly what Germany
exacted of France following tho Franco
Prussian war.
The United States did not ratify tho
Versailles treaty. Therefore, it was of
not obligated to maintain troops I'm
Germany.
1t did not and has not maintained
troops In Germany by reason Of aEy
commitments under the treaty. 1t
has maintained troops in Germany At
the specific and urgent request of the
allied powers, particularly the British
and French governments, which argu
ed that in event the United States
Withdrew her troops from the Rhine 1t
would be taken as evidence the United
States had broken with the allies and
would encourage the German govern
mont to resist the terms of the treaty
and thereby cause trouble to France.
Belgium and Great Britain.
In other words the United States
has maintained armed forces on the
Rhine by virtue Of "gentleman's
agreement" between this country and
tho allied powers and rs an especial
favor to them. In consideration of the
United States doing this the allied pow
ers agreed upon their part to see to 1t
the United States was reimbursed for
the cost Of maintaining these troops.
, This government has had no thought
there would be any Reputation Of this
. agreement upon the part of Great Brt
tain and France until recently, when
1t became known these nations, IN com
mon with other allies, were taking
steps that would deprive the United
States Of such reimbursement Then
It was that the United States made q
formal demand fof payment of the
costs Of maintaining her forces.:.
me argument that she should look
to Germany Is piffle, because she has
not maintained her" troops on tho
thine at the request of Germany AMI
has no agreement with Germany con.
corning such occupation. For Great
britain. France and other allies now
to claim the United States Is not en-.
titled to reimbursement because she
did not sign the Treaty Of Versailles
Is plain classification Of the facts, in a
very disreputable effort to repudiate
an honest agreement made at their re-
quest for the purpose Of protecting
| heir interests