The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-23
Hughes Challenges Allies
On Guarantee Un-
der Treaty.
POINTS TO PACTS
DURING CONFLICT
Declares America Be
lieved Expenses Would
Be Met.

Secretary OF State Hughes has
challenged the allied powers TO
demonstrate whether America is TO
share equitatly in awards under the
Versailles treaty or whether the
allies are to maintain exclusively
for themselves their first mortgage
on Germany.
In note made public yeste'-
day. and previously deliversS 80 s....,
foreign offices OF "-saf ssrT:at-,
France, Italy. r.r ID 30 .-..
Mr.. Hughes ...-r.. D.. -sEss
previous reque .ar par-..r. rr.
S24l-0OO,0 600, COZ rig
the American ar
Makes Al Ta.rr
Setting forth ne Versailles
treaty stipulates specifically that
America shall be on an equal foot
ing with the other allied powers in
German payments for the armies Of
occupation, Mr.. Hughes declares
that any technical objection
therefore would necessarily rest
solely upon the refusal OF the gov
ernments Of the allied powers them
selves to permit the discharge Of
an admittedly equitable claim and
thus seek to maintain in their BE-
half exclusively a first charge upon
all the assets and revenues Of the
German empire and its constituent
states for demands exhaustinE the
full capacity Of the German Tow
ernment 10 pay"
The American government. Mr..
Hughes declares, finds IL impos-
sible TO conceive that any such at
titude would be taken by the allied
governments"
The Hughes note was sent fo,-
lowing failure Of the allies thus
far to recognize the. claim. The
attitude Of the United States as
revealed in the note is this:
Free from Dispute.
/. That the amount Of the claim
is free from any substantial dis
pute."
? That the srmistice agreement.
to which the United States was
signatOry, provided for allied and
American military occupation Of the
Rhine. and further that the upkeep
OF the troops of occupation shall
he charged to the German govern
ment.'
,. That this clause had the clear
import that the powers associated
in this joint enterprise should stand
upon an equal footing as TO the
payment of all the actual costs os
tncir armies OF occupation"
4. That none Of the powers could
consistently with the agreement
make any arrangement for a prefer
ential or exclusive right OF pay
nent."
:. That none OF the allied powers
could enter into any arrangement
by which all of the assets or rev
-nucs" Of Germany would be taken
for their benefit to the exclusion Of
any Of the other powers concerned
Army Kept There.
6. That the United States -Nas re
pcatedly and earnestly solicited 10,
TO withdraw its army - 0Cr.
tion. and this army or F...
tinued upon the has .Nr rs-.s
to be paid its actual st 1907 -
equal footing with elites
The actual develop. i,H.. r
up to Hughes note j.. lsrHErr.
are revealed in its follow ..- .-.a-
graphs:
In November. 1921. the comrnis>
sion appointed by jE, supreme vyuu-
ell to give its opinion on tho 'N-
pcnSes Of the armies Of oCyupat tl.'r
made its report dealing with ;lr
army costs since May !. 1921. IT,
included calculations with r,sur.t
to the American army. and it,
sctual costs since that date wcr,.
ircluded in the proposed previSiun
.or payment pari passu with IT.
other powers.
TT had been supposed that this
70 .
be referred TO the conference %
ambassadors. and would pave t'a
way for suitable action with re-
srect TO the American army costs
current and accumulated II was
with surprise that the Eovcrn.usr:
Of the United States r%ccnIlv
learned that negotiations. in cc0
neCtion with and following tn
meeting at Cannes in January last
apparently contemplated the substi-
tuition for the recommendation OF
the army costs commission Of othc-
arrangements which would iEnor-
American army costs altogether. al
though estimates. both. for army
costs and reparations. were being
made on the basis of the rnti~r
capacity OF the German gOverr-'ent
to pay.
w men II came to the EAF.H nl
this government that il vas guc-
posed at the meeting Of ii fpAncr
ministers, to convene at Psr.g ~
March S, definitely TO assign the
greater portion of the amount
heretofore paid in cash g., rr-
many. and not yet finally sl.r. lied,
to the payment OF arm costs
without making any prov N tor
those of the American rIny. 81
was deemed advisable aga "a 70 d.
rect attention to the pos. .i0r ..
the United. States.
United States Is ArbIter.
The government OF the United
States has been advised that all
the arrangements of the flnar
ministers have been made sr'
10 the rights of the Unite Sfstss
and that these minister ave also
suggested that the -crnn2ent cf
the United STATE louid Like -
the question di' . With the EOpa
ernments conce asd"
In response TO tue Glied cont
tion that there arc 'technlCsl p. IL
culties which stand in The Wy OF
recognition of the nm Mr.
Hughes assumes that u such ancs-
ton were raised 1T would be based
upon the fact that the United
ContSa"od On Page Tt0O.