The Bozeman courier., 1923-06-20
PERSISTENCE And
FIRMNESS WIN

After months of negotiation, the |
agreement between the United States |
and the allies for the payment Of the |
costs of the American army of occu- |
patton on the Rhine has been signed. |
The outcome may Justly be regarded
as another triumph for American di- |
plomacy. Assistant Secretary of the
treasury Eliot Wadsworth, acting
Under instructions from Washington,
GENEROUSLY conceded point after point
made by the allies, which the plain
language of the Versailles treaty
,;suld have justified the United States
m rejecting. But finally a stage IN
the discussions was reached where
further concessions for the sake OF
avoiding a rupture ceased to be a
virtue. ThereupOn the firmness OF
the stand taken by the state depart
ment brought a quick agreement ac-
ceptable to this country.
Those who have any lingering
doubts as to the willingness of the
| United States to contribute to world
| peace ought to read the history of the
| controversy just concluded. Briefly,
the facts are as follows: The Amer
lean army of occupation was sent to
The Rhine not because this country
lad any special interest in patrOl.ng
German territory, but because we had
)een repeatedly and earnestly so
icited" by the allies to cooperate
With them in that way. The United
States complied with the allied re-
: Iuest on the understanding, as eX-
r dressed in the armistice agreement
and later written into the treaty Of
s Versailles that the cost of maintain
3 ing the armies of occupation should
h be paid by Germany and form frs
s lien on German reparations. But th'
+ reparations commission took charg
: of receipts from Germany, and, de
z spite the language of the armistic
t and the treaty, no money was pai
over to the United States on accoun
n of occupation costs, while the allie
% completely reimbursed themselves fo
Is their expenditures.
IA On March %, 1922, Secretar
- Hughes pointedly reminded the allie
A Of American rights in the matte
is The contention of the United State
ct was admitted by the allies, but r
provision was made for paymen
~ About three months ago AssiStal
as Secretary Wadsworth went to Par
ne TO bring about definite settlemen
81 He had perfect right to demand tn
hs the next payments to be receiv'
'St from Germany should be turned ov
N TO the United States forthwith un
Gu he claim of about $250,000,000 b
es been paid in full. But the allies pr
serred to negotiate for better teri
oN than were possible under the t
ASe strict Interpretation of the treat
' They first proposed that the value
0 the German ships seized by the Un
s ed States should be deducted from t
total of the claim; then they urg
that private American claims again
Germany should be Cancelled if I
- occupation costs were pand; then tt
asked this country to assist them
collecting their claims from G
10 20. many if they agreed to the Ameri,
bill; and finally they proposed Il
payment should be spread over Q
-. iod of twelve years, but that if ,
private American claims against
many should be collected in that 7
a. iod, the agreement for reimbursem
should be abrogated.
Out of the maze of nroy,osaIs
Co. patience persistence and firmness
80. the Republican administration
: Is Washington has finally won an agl
wasv ment that retains all the essent
viii Of our claim and ought to comm
,uwh itself to every American citizen.
, OF costs. Of the American army of
trial cupation win be paid IN twelve am
instalments out of German cash