The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-14

America her share of the German re-
paratlon money at this time or merely
viii recognize the American contention
and defer payment along with other OBJ
legations arising out of the war. that s
quite another question. The impression
IS given out in official quarters that the
United States with all Of its wealth is
not going to be-deyil distressed Europe
for the payment of that S24l 000,000 but
Is on the other hand going to make sure
that some other government doesn t ac-
quire 100000 which doesn t belong
to it.
Inclined to BE Peaceful.
Although the controversy has in it all
the potentialities of full ledged eontro-
Versy, ranking in Importance with the
Unsolyed dispute over mandates. the dis
position OF the American government is
to pour oil on the troubled waters. No
effort viii be made to revise old ques-
lions or to allow the discussion to grow
embittered. But certain facts are never
theless coming TO the surface which
state department officials are none too
| happy to face. For they are not respons
ihle for the failure of the United States
to ratify the Versailles treaty. either
with or without reservations. The de-
partment OF state Is endeayormg to
make the best ease it can out of the le-
| gal mess in which the United States was
/ plunged DN the iNdCjIOI OF Tie l HlItU
| States senate In the \ erSallles treaty.
| Mr.. Hughes holds the view that the
separate treaty between Germany and
/ the United States gives this government
all the benefits which ii would have de
rived out of 'the Versailles treaty. Dis
| patches from abroad to the effect that
4 the allies have been expecting negotia-
/ tons to confirm America 5 rights under
4 the Berlin separate treaty seem to have
no effect here. If such conversations
did take place at one time and were
! dropped. the implication now Is that
/ they will not be renewed and that Mr.
H Hughes believes America 5 Is, legally at
II least, firmly secured by the terms Of
Germany 5 grant to America in the last
H treaty. @
Complete Surprise.
\ Although officials discuss temporarily
this reported unwillingnesss of the allies
to recognize America 5 claim to repaTa.
tion money for the army of occupation
they. show an eaTncstness of viewpoint
which indicates complete surprise at the
European attitude. To the argument
that America appears on the scene toe
late To claim her share, answer Il made
that America never dreamed anybody in
Europe would question the right of the
i United States to be paid. and no men.
/ ton was made of the subject because OF
a supposition that. of course, the allies
/ would take care of 1t.
Action was taken by the American
Il government, it Is pointed out officially
Il only when it appeared that the Euro
i pean governments were about to dispose
of some German assets without even
consulting the United States. \ high
/ administration official privileged to speak
for the government here, made a parti-
cular point of the fact that the Amcri-
can army of occupation was kent on the
| Rhine solely because of the desire of
the allies that it should be there-not
/ because it had any especial American
i purpose to serve. TO refuse to pay the
/ expenditures of an occupation 50 eagerly
desired by Europe would. in the opinion
i of the American government, be prepos-
| ferrous. Secretary Hughes viii not be-
/ lieyc It till he gets concrete statement