The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-15

self compelled by circumstances to be-
come an official member of the repara-
tions commission
The fact that. under the present state
of affairs European governments can get
together and dispose of Germanys as
sets without regard to the rights or
claims of the United States is giving
concern in official quarters. Up to now
America has been able to drift along
with an unofficial observer r. w Boy
den, who has been presenting the views
of the United States carefully and dis
creetly
Congress alone can give the executive
permission to send a representative to
participate officially In the discussions
and actions of the reparations commits
sion. This correspondent can state pos
itiyely that the American government in
presenting its claim for S241 DOC. 600 of
the German reparatiOns payments to go
toward the expenses of the American
army of occupation did not have i'm mind
one way or the other the question of
membership on the reparatonS commits
sion. No precOnceivcd plan has been
adopted which seeks to demonstrate that
America had better be member of
the reparation commission. The gov
ernment Is really drifting along letting
developments speak for themselves.
President Wants Representation.
On one occasion not long ago Presi-
dent Harding publicly expressed his re
grot that the United States was not Off
cially represented on The repartions COM
mission because it might have voice i'm
the controversy over German dyes. The
claim for expenses of the American
army of occupation IL a second develop
ment. In the absence of President Hard
ing, officials here cannot very well say
whether the executive would agree to
ask congress its views on American
membership on the Preparations commits
sion.
Certainly a Joint resolution would
have to be adopted before the executive
would be free TO act The PREPARATIONS
commission, of course, has nothing to do
with the league of nations. 1t is sep
arate and distinct Institution. 1t was
created by the Versailles treaty and
when the United States made n sepa-
rate peace with Germany. the identical
clauses Of the Versailles treaty which
relate tn rcparations were taken liter /
ally and made n part of the American |
Germany treaty. So the United States |
is entitled 10 membership in the com
mission whenever it wishes to exercise |
the right. The senate. however. inter |
posed reservation that the consent of |
congress must be secured before a rep
rc>cntativc Is sent to any international |
commission before the treaty. This ac- !
ton has been referred TO by President |
Harding as tying his hands. But it /
has been accepted as the best that can
be done with congress under the circun-
stances. Now. however. developments |
are coming to the surface which indicate
that American. rights cannot as well be
Safeguarded by unofficial observers as by !
official representatives There is mt the
moment no pronounced feeling i'm ex-!
ccutive quarters in favor of or against /
official representation on the separations l.
commission a. there are complications
enough between the executive and legiS-
lative branches of the government over
pending four-power treaty and other
pacts. No one would seek to add TO the
in the senate.
Congress Beside the Question. ...
But while congress is debating politi-
cal phases of American participation in
foreign questions, the rcparationS COM
mission is in the main an economic mat
ter. If it should develop that American
aioofness on economic questions cost the
American taxpayers S241 100000 that
they might have had. this year instead
of in the Indefinite future, the item is
recognized as having political possibili-
ties in it. Former President Wilson
asked for permission of the senate to
send a representative TO the separations
to look after American
rights but was unsuccessful. Since that
time mo direct request has been made
by the Harding administration though
the allies are on record as having on ,
more than one occasion invited America
to join i'm the separations discussions as
she is entitled TO do under the terms of
the armistice as well as subsequent ,
treaties.
Officials here are not inclined to take
the press reports that Europe
Will ignore Americas claims for S241.-
100000. Europe will certainly not I'M
agine for one minute that American pub
lie opinion will look with favor on closer
cooperation with Europe which begs
an American army to stay on the Rhine
for moral effect and advantages to il.
and then insists that the United States
has no right to expense money specif-
rally provided for by the armistice and
the sections of the Versailles treaty ac-
cepted when America made peace with
Germany.
To some extent the embarrassment of
the allies in having a meeting on the
question of German payments and being
unable because of Americas absence to
10 anything but generally reserve Amer
lean rights for future discussion is felt /
here as unavoidable America is not |
trying to accuse the allies of attempt
ing ito put something over" but merely
FASTENED to put in the claim for S241.-
100000 because of a possibility that
American silence might be misconstrued
German fund.
Many Economic Questions
Many other questions of an economic
character will be decided by the repara-
tons commission. questions of tariffs
affecting American industries and while
officials will make no prediction as to