Evening star., 1922-12-07
WILSON 12THP0|NT
REAFFIRMED BY US.
Instructions to Child to Up.
hold Free DardaneIIes Seen
as Coinciding.
DEPARTURE OF POLICY
Action of President Called First
Concrete Participation in Eu-
ropean Affairs.
DEPARTURE OF POLICY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

American foreign policy under the
| Harding administration has developed
Its first concrete participation In
| European affairs In nearly two years.
| And 1t is an interesting coincidence
| that the announcement should be
! made on the very day that former
! Premier Clemenceau Of France and
former President Wilson should be
| tndulging in "reminiscences over the
famous fourteen points on which
Germany accepted an armistice in the
great war.
For the instructions sent Ambassa-
dor Richard Washburn Child by
President Harding and Secretary
| OF the powers at Lusanne to patch up
| the near eastern war, are in conform
| ity with the twe.f of the Wills III
! fourteen points, which read as fol-
| lows:
! THE Dardanelles should be perma-
| nently opened as a free passage to the
| ships and commerce of all nations
under international guarantees"
Sees Aid Promised.
| Ambassador Child not only upheld
| this policy but specifically promised
| American aid In guaranteeing the
freedom Of the straits. He said that
! mo nation would be reader (than the
] United states) to uphold the good
-ae ~e shasatdtE;ne . daAs.: <44at naval
force to act as the police OF exc fe,.e
seas. to protect its citizens and t!es-
! ships wherever they might be, TO sun
| press piracy and other menaces and
| to act at times for the public good
| ana giving relief to the suffering Just
! as the ships of war have recently done
In the near east"
Thts Is the first time since the WILL
| son admin stration that any promises 8
! or naval help have been made to
European powers in the solution OF
problems overseas. The rejection of
| an american mandate in Armenia. the
| gradual Withdrawal of American n
! troops from the Rhine and the gem
| eral policy OF keeping out of
European affairs have come to be re-
| Earded In some quarters as fixed
| determination to remain entirely out
OF the nolicies of Europe. The readi-
ness OF the Harding administration
to use IT'S Influence in the near east
ern cr'e's will naturally be viewed as
| inconsistent by the advocates of
| strict isolation, but the Wilsonian
| favored international corporation
| are plainly enthusiastic over the turn
| Of the Harding policy.
| Cnouestionahly the pressure of
American churches which have vas+
! interests in the near east have had a
| telling effect here. Also. it is an open
| secret that Great Britain has been
| anxious for American support in the
| near east. and has succeeded in per-
suading the American government
| that positive stand by the United
| States at this time would contribute
! materially toward the making Of
peace.
! The demand Of the United States
that the Dardanelles be kept free OF
| fertilization goes further than any
thing which has been said on the sub
| 5ect by the American government un-
| der Its preceding administration, II
has been suggested by some critics
! that the United States is to some ex-
| tent Inconsistent in arguing agains'
fortif1cations in the DardaneIles when
! the Panama canal is so heavily forti-
| fed by Its owner. the United States
government.
! The answer made in official quar-
| ters here is thu the Panama c"na'
| ts an artificial waterway whose use
| fulness could easily be destroyed for
| neutral commerce by the acts of a
! helligerent while the Dardanelles arc
a natural waterway and could not be
by the sinking of u great number Of
ships.
| Follows L. 8. Precedents.
(! So far as consistency Is concerned.
the pronouncement by Ambassador
Child is directly in line with p7ece-
dents in Americ.n policy for gen
erations. The United States has al
ways stood for freedom Of naviga-
tion. The significance Of Mr.. Child s
statement really is that precedents
are being followed instead of ignored
| on this subject. and that the Hard
| ing administration has grown bold
enough to speak out in the open
about a. European question.
! Heretofore the so-called "irrecon-
cilable" group. who have managed to
hold up the appointment of an Amer
ican member to the reparations COM
mission and official attendance of
American representative at European
! conferences, contituted a political OBJ
stacle to the free expression of Amer
team views on many vital questions
| growing out of the Paris peace con-
ference. Generalities alone have been
| voiced with respect to American CO.
| operation.
| Former Premier Clemenceau came
to America to persuade the United
| States to contribute its help toward
MOURNING BLACK
| Dyed Within - Hours