The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-04-03


to Present Resolution Expected II.
w. BoytIen viii BE Named Has
Been Unofficial Representative.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON. April 3.-Congres-
sional leaders have been asked to give
consideration to President Harding's de-
sire to have the United States repre-
scented officially on the Preparations com
mission as soon as possible.
The treaties negotiated at the arms
conference are all out of the way now
and the executive is waiting for con-
gress to authorize him to appoint an
American member of the all-powerful
commission which regulates the flow of
commerce to and from Germany and the
payments of reparationS. The allied
governments are acknowledging, for in
stance the justice Of the American
claim for S241 100000 for the expenses
of the United States army Of occupa-
ton on the Rhine but none is coming
forth with any proposal as to how
America shall be reimbursed. The feel
ing here is that if the United States
had had a vote on the reparations COM
mission, its veto would have been eX-
ercised against any payments which did
not include the American claim.
Leaders in congress, differ as to the
kind of authority to be given the Pres
ident's representative on the repara-
tions commission. There are, of course,
three schools of thought-those who be-
heve America should remain aloof and
simply continue to have its affairs
looked after by unofficial observers,
those who think the American repre-
Sentatives powers shall be sharply de-
fined and limited to those who believe
the United States should take its place
on equality with the other nations and
exercise all powers to which the nation
is entitled
Can't Involve L. :. .
The department of state feels that
unofficial observers are out of the ques-
tion. that it is of doubtful legality and
jhat America is seriously restricted by
such a method of conducting her legiti-
mate business abroad As for any fear
that the American member may involve
the United States in foreign commit
ments which will be entangling, the an
swer is made that an American on the
reparations commission will be subject
to the same limitations of the American
constitution as any officer or diplomat
of the executive branch of the United
States government He could not bind
the United States without the express
consent of the president who in turn Is
limited by the constitution as to how
far he can go in committing the Amer
lean government to 4 course of action
Some Congressman Finicky.
1t is unlikely. however. that many
members of congress who feel deeply on
the subject of acknowledgements in Euro
pean affairs viii be satisfied unless
specific restraint upon the authority OF
the American member of the reparatlon
commission Is written into the statute.
In actual practice this limitation will
mean very little and probably will not
be seriously opposed by the executive
This is because a man like X. w. Boy
den, unofficial observer at the repara-
tiOns commission meetings, Is too dis
Greet to do anything beyond the instruc-
tignS of the department of state. Nor
is the President or secretary of state
likely ever to appoint a man who Will
take any radical step or agree to any
thing vital without consulting the Wash
ington government.
The whole trouble at present is that
Americas unofficial observer must listen
and watch and say nothing He may
ave been appraised of the Washington
governments policy and be fully
nuipDcd to express the government s
view but technically he is absent from
me meeting and Is admitted only by
courtesy 1t is to change that status
and enable the American representative
10 speak out with the full influence of
the United States government that the
movement for official participation has
arisen.
Plan for Resolution.
Senator Lodge. chairman of the SEN
ate foreign relations committee. and
Representative Porter of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the house foreign affairs
committee, are expected soon to intro
duce the necessary resolution authoriZ-
ing the President to appoint an Ameri-
can representative on the separations
committee Tt was thought for a time
that the initiative rested with the exec
utive and that all he needed to do was
to nominate a man and congress would
confirm it. But the reservation to the
Berlin separate treaty ratified by the
aenate specifically said that no appoint
ment was to be made without the con-
sent of congress" This means advance
approval of both senate and house by an
enabling law first and 4 nomination
thereafter in the regular way. 1t is
considered certain that II. W. Boyden,
who was first appointed unofficial OBJ
server under the Wilson administration,
will be continued as official representa-
tive on the commission as he is thor
oughly familiar with what has gone be-
fore and has followed the instructions
.A.,..r