The New York herald., 1922-03-22
HARDING DESIRES
PREPARATIONS VOICE
Sees Need Of an American
Member i'm the Allied
Commission.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. March 81.

Washington, ID. c.. March 81.
Richard Washburn Child. American
Ambassador to Italy, will report the
Genoa conference for the United States
Government. lie will go not as a spe-
cial observer. but as a diplomatic rep
resentative who will include the devel-
opments taking place in the conference
il dispatches he sends from time TO
time to Washington.
President Harding and Secretary
Hughes both are convinced Mr. Child
will provide all information about the
development OF the conference which
win In any way interest the American
Government The fact Mr.. Child will
be depended on to send the Information
became known to-day in response 70
inquiries as to whether the United
States would have observers in Genoa.
President Harding would not be ad-
verse to the appointment of an Amefl-
can member Of the Preparations Commis-
sion created by the Treaty OF Versailles
He feels the United States Government
Is al something of a disadvantage be-
cause OF its inability to deal directly
with the various financial and similar
problems. many OF which affect Ameri-
lea One or these is the collection Of
the $241 .000, 900 claim for the mainten-
ance OF the American troops on the
Rhine.
Mr. Harding will not ask for author
ity to appoint a member of the commis. !.
sion. but if Congress should provide for
it he would gladly take advantage Of
the opportunity of selecting an Ameri-
can representative. 1t is not unlikely
such a thing should be done, for Il is
known in both the Senate and the
haf ie ha n is frat
attitude
put a stop to such participation. At the
United States was TO have membership
on the Reparations Commission. but the
fact the Senate did not ratify the treaty
put a stop to such participant ton. At the
same time, however, the preparations
provisions of the Versailles treaty We're
made a part of the treaty Of Berlin be-
tween the United States and Germany,
so there Is no reason why the United
States should not have member OF the
Reparations Commission III il SO desired.
There would be no objection on the part
of the allied Governments.
In discussing the situation with call
ers ..at the White House to-day. Mr..
Harding let il be known the Admins
ira ation is being asked TO do many things
which are difficult, II not impossible be-
cause the United States Is not repre-
sented on the commission. Among these
things have been the distribution Of the
German dyes. the matter Of reimburstng
the United States for the cost Of main
tanning the soldiers In Germany and the
matter OF fixing the amount Of German
reparations. naturally a vital question
in which has been involved much OF inn
portance to business.
Attention was called at the White
House to the fact the Reparations Com
mission handled the distribution Of Ger
man dyestuffs among the nations asso-
ciated against Germany during the war
The American share of these dyestuffs
was turned over to the Textile Alliance
an American organization. which paid
for the dyes. aud the money was dis
tributed among the allied governments
By the Reparations Commission. Now
the United States is receiving neither
dyes nor money.
President Harding is inclined to ridi-
cule the suggestion that American men,
bership in the Reparations Commission
would be tantamount to ratification of
the Versailles treaty.