The Washington times., 1925-03-03

Arms Conference, German and
Mexican Pacts Among His
Accomplishments
Bv LLOYD LEHRBAs.

1t would be difficult to 1mag1n'
Q worse tangle in our foreign re
lations than that with which tn
Republican administration was re
uuired to deal when it came int
power on March 4, 1921. Tw'
years and nearly four months ha'
elapsed since the armistice. but
we were still in q technical state
Of war. The peace negotiations
had evoked a bitter and undylne
controversy. In the Far East ou1
relations were embarrassed BY
suspicion and distrust, giving rise
to serious apprehensions. In this
hemisphere old sores were still
fostering. For years our rela'
tions with Mexico had been un-
satisfactory. The situation was a
most difficult one as opportunities
for disputes lay on every hand
with the chances of finding ade-
uuate means Of accommodation
were extremely meager. These
difficulties have largely been re-
solved"
Words Of Hughes.
That-in his own words-is the
swan song Of Charles Evans Hughes,
Secretary OF State during the last
four turbulent post-bellum years.
Tomorrow he turns the helm Of the
Ship of State over to his successor,
Frank B. kellogg, late ambassador
to the Court Of st. James, and re-
tires from public life.
Mr.. Hughes leaves office after
having concluded sixty-seven treaties
and international agreements run
ming the entire gamut Of American
foreign relations, Of which over
fifty, including those considered the
most important have been approved
by the Senate.
Among the major accomplish
nents In international affairs which
must be credited to Mr.. Hughes are
the successful conduct Of the arms
conferences; the instigation Of the
Dawes plan, under which Germany
Is paying it's creditor ex-enemies,
the Paris agreement, under which
the United States will secure its
share Of German reparations; the
conclusion of commercial treaties
under which normal trade relations
are being resumed, and the further
ance Of friendly relations between
the nations on the American CONT
nent, including the, recognition OF
Mexico.
Mr.. Hughes leaves to Mr.. Kellogg
the solution of the questions in.
volved in the present status of non
recognition Of Soviet Russia; an
amicable instead Of a purely theo-
reticaI settlement Of Asiatic imni-
grafton; the furtherance of friendly
relations, diplomatic and CONNER
cial, with Turkey and other nations
with whom our present agreements
are unsatisfactory. and the all-im-
portant question Of American CO
operation with Europe, through the
World Court, or some other agency.
Avoids Pitfalls.
Avoiding dangerous pitfalls which
would have been disastrous to
American commerce, treaties restor-
ing friendly relations were con
cluded with Austria on August "a
1921; with Germany the next day
and with Hungary on August ~.
Under the most important treaty.
the one with Germany. the United
States secured every right and bene-
fit enjoyed by the European powers
under the treaty Of Versailles, to
which the United States was not q
party.
Carrying such relations to their
logical conclusion, Secretary Hughes
then negotiated a commercial treaty
with Germany, which was drafted
with the idea that 1t would become
the model for similar treaties with
other nations with whom we now
have unfavorable commercial agree
ments The German treaty, after
striking some rough water, was
Congress, and Mr.. Hughes, there
fore, leaves Mr.. Kellogg a model on
which to proceed.
Mr.. Hughes found one Of his
most difficult problems in arrang-
ing for the American share of Ger
man reparations as reimbursement
for this country's war losses, and
the expenses incident to maintain
ing American troops az an occupa,
tion force along the Rhine. Under
the Wadsworth agreement provision
was made for payment OF the Occu-
patton expenses, but that agree
ment was abrogated and incor.
porated in the now famous Paris
agreement. negotiated by Mr.. Kel
logg under the direction Of Mr.
Hughes, by which the United States
Is to receive -2A per cent Of the
total German reparations with which
70 pay an estimated grand total
Of $500, 900 900 occupation costs and
war losses.
Delicate Ground.
In settling American affairs in
Europe, Hughes was treading upon
delicate ground, and in all treaties
and agreements negotiated he was
extremely careful not to entanRle
the United States in any way either
with the League of Nations or the
World Court. although the United
States did participate in the League
OF Nations opium conference at
Geneva and, also, has accepted an
invitation to participate in confer
ences concerning limitation Of arms
traffic and the codification of inter.
national law under the auspices of
the League.
While avoiding assiduousIy any