Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-16
U. 5. Peace Delegates
In 1919 Realized Pact
Threatened New War
By GARRETT d. HORNER.

ny oAhIN Il -. hOESNEIS.
Many American peace negoti-
ators in 1919 recognized the seeds
of the new wars to come with
both Japan and Germany In the
shifting sands of self-interest"
that dominated settlement Of in
ternational problems after the
World War.
This was revealed in a 700-page
volume of confidential papers of the
American delegation to the Paris
peace conference of 26 years ago,
published by the State Department
last night.
The late President Woodrow Will
son himself admitted he was unable
to keep other Allied powers from
putting Irrational things" In the
peace treaty, and told colleagues
that some reactions-especially by
the British-made him very sick. "
Mr.. Wilson's Secretary of State,
Robert Lansing, and other Amer
lean diplomats warned that much of
the trouble was due to secret oi-
plomacy" of the Big Five" of that
time, whose "privte conclaves" in
vite comparison with the current
Big Five" Council of Foreign Min
listers meeting now in London to
chart postwar settlements in Europe
Japs Attitude Disturbed Lansing.
Mr.. Lansing was so disturbed by
the extremely disquieting" attitude
of Japan-an ally in the 1919 peace
discussions-toward China that he
suggested on February 6. 1919, that
this was the time for us to have
it out once and for all with Japan
Disappointment" and "depres-
sion" marked Mr.. Lansing's reaction
to completion of the Versailles peace
treaty, which he declared will not
bring permanent peace because II
is founded on the shifting sands OF
self-interest."
Remarking that the League OF
Nations was relied on to prevent
the termination of the seeds of wal
which are sown in so many articles
of the peace treaty, Mr.. Lansing said
the league might as well attempt
to prevent the growth of plant life
in tropical jungle-wars will come
sooner or later"
Despite the feelings he revealed in
his secret memoranda, Mr.. Lansing
believed the League was enough of q
step in the right direction to fight
for ratification of the treaty, but
several younger members of the
American legation resigned in dis.
illusionment.
Berle and Bullitt Resigned.
Among those were Adolph A
Berle, jr., then a second lieutenant
in the Army assigned to the peac<
conference and now American Am.
bassador to Brazil, and William C
Bullitt, who was the American Am
bassador to France at the outbreal
of the war in 1899.
In a letter to President Wilson
Mr.. Bullitt said he was convince,
the League of Nations will be pow
erless to prevent these wars" H
added:
That you personally opposes
most of the unjust settlements, ant
that you accepted them only unde
great pressure, is well known.
Nevertheless, it Is my conviction
that if you had made your fight il
the open, instead of behind close,
doors, you would have carried will
you the public opinion of the world
which was yours; you would hav
been able to resist the pressure ant
might have established the new in
ternational order based upon broa,
and universal principles of RICH
and justice of which you used t.
speak"
After the Senate refused to ratif,
the Versailles treaty, there wa
considerable confusion about con
tinuance of any work by tn,
American peace commissioners OF
problems that were not settled II
the German treaty.
Received Cryptic Notes.
President Wilson was i'll during
this period and much of the time
unable to transact any business
What decisions Secretary of Stat.