Evening star., 1923-01-02
Pact
Sounded Out
to France.
AFTER
ADVERSE REPLY
Cermany's Proposal
Provided America
Guard Peace.

The State Department announced
today that the German proposal for
an agreement under which France,
Great Britain, Italy and Germany
should "solemnly agree among them
selves and promise the government
of the United States" not to resort to
war for the period of one generation
without the authority OF a plebiscite
had not been transmitted to the
French government formally by
Secretary Hughes. as an informal in
quiry brought out the fact that It was
not acceptable to France.
Departments Statement.
The department issued this state
ment:
The German ambassador, on be-
half OF his government, recentlX sub
mitted to the Secretary Of State a
proposal to the effect that the pow
ers interested in the Rhine-to wit,
France, Great Britain, Italy and Ger
many-should 'solemnly agree among
themselves and promise the govern
ment of the United States that they
will not resort to war against each
ton without being authorized to do
so by plebiscite of their own people.
French Sounded Out.
"It was deemed inadvisable to trans
NIT the proposal to the governments
named unless II appeared that 1t
would be favorably considered by the
French government. On making in
formal inquiry of the French govern
ment the Secretary of State was in
formed that that government could
not view the proposal with favor, as
such an arrangement could not be
made under the provisions of the
French constitution"
The announcement is the first word
State Department officials have per-
mitted to escape them in any way In
regard to the German proposal. They
would add nothing by way of COM :
ment today to the statement of facts
contained in the announcement.
u. s. Would Have Been Guardian.
Disclosure by the department of the
fact that the German proposal would
have made the government of the United
States the guardian or trustee of the
peace pact Is the first intimation of an
official character that the plan thus
sought TO bring the weight Of American
influence to bear on the European prob
lem. There was nothing to indicate
whether the Washington administration
would have refused to accept such re-
sponsibility had the French government
found 1t desirable to enter into the pact
In some quarters there was a dis
position to believe, however, that the
action of Secretary Hughes in sound
ing out French opinion Informally
was an evidence that the Washing
ton government was at least deeply
interested in the proposal.
Full Text Not Revealed.
The full text Of the German pro-
posal was not given out here and Of
ficials would not say to what extent
tho Washington government would
have been committed had It been ac-
cepted in Paris. Chancellor Cuno in
his Hamburg speech, which first dis
closed the peace pact plan. however,
indicated that the power acting as
trustee would be no. more than the
of the promises of the sig
governments. and. presumably,
would not be required to take any
steps for enforcement Of the agree
ment.
Retdcence of American officials on
the plan up to this time presumably
has been due to the peculiar situation
In which the government found itself
In dealing with proposal which re-
luired even passive participation by
this government in the tangled affairs
Of Europe.