San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-12

not at any time regard the messages
he was receiving from Secretary Hughes
through Ambassador Jusserand as a
formal proposition" are somewhat mis-
leading. The American government
made its suggestion that a committee
of bankers and experts be formed to
render advice on the amount of Ger
many's reparations and there was no
doubt here of the purpose of the Amer
lean government in making the pro-
poSal. Nor was there any misunder-
standing in France as to what the
American suggestion was. If Premier
POincaTe chooses TO say that the "sug-
gestion' was not proposition" and
hence could be ignored, then American
officials will not bubble over the mean
ing of the words France knows Amer
lea wanted TO help and Premier Poin-
care sent Mr.. Hughes several messages
concerning the various features of the
plan; in fact. the American govern
ment even suggested that France could
appropriate the idea and make it her
own. The French reply originally was
that the appointment of bankers
commission meant that governments
would surrender their power of deci-
sion to the newly created commission.
The United States countered with the
view that it could be stipulated in adj
vance that no government was bound to
accept the commissions findings. Then
the French argued that the premiers
conference in Paris on January would
settle the matter.
Offered Way Out.
The United States ventured the COM
ment that the proposal should be Sc
TiOusly considered in the event the pre-
miers conference should break up with
out an agreement.
And that's where the matter was
left The American government offer
ed France a way out, but France chose
not to follow it. This, it is conceded,
was Frances right, though, of course,
the policy France adopted is looked up
on here as a grave mistake.
At this point opinions may differ
Gs TO what the American government
should or should not have done. The
view of the administration is that it
departed from what the critics call a
policy Of isolation when it offered a
concrete plan TO settle the European
reparations problem, but that it could
not assume the role of director or COM
pei France TO accept Americas pro-
pOSal. Great Britain found she could
not make France accept her reparationS
plan either. She retired gracefully. So
has America. Both are watching the
effect Of the French experiment, hop
ing on the one hand that il will clear
the air and make the French see the
British and American viewpoints from
different angle and hoping also that
no complications will occur inside Ger
many to upset the government there or
the pOpulace and incite sabotage, or
bolsheyism.
Move Is Significant.
As to the withdrawal of the Ameri-
can troops from the Rhine. officials oil
| the American government were given an
! other opportunity today to explain pub
| licly the significance Of the move. but
/ it was deemed wiser TO remain silent
European press dispatches were brought
to the attention of officials with the
comment the Paris. London and Der
| lin interpreted the move different, one
view being that American forces wer'
withdrawn for fear of friction will
the other troops passing through tht
! American area OF occupation and tn
other that a protest was INTENDED
against French disregard of America
friendly warnings about the unwisdon
of invading the Ruhr.
The officials chose to let the pub
lie believe that both lines of reason
ing contributed TO the final decision
which was unanimous throughout tn
government. Considering all the cir
cUmstances. it was determined tina
Americas troops should not remain j
Europe That's all that will be sal
. | ,aFes..aI1,. I,,t Isgn1ngttra e1nr
the policy was first announced tend
to confirm the original inference tina
America wanted her action to be cor
strued as her protest against the us
Of force TO collect debt. Her trad
tionaI policy has been that for man
years. Elihu Root eSpoused it in cor
nectiOn with the famous doctrine enur
ciatcd by DrGgO, the Argentine states
man. and it has been scrupulously 70
lowed in all state papers ever sine
-