America and Europe.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17114, 8 April 1921, Page 6

America and Europe.

President Harding's first message to Copgress is awaited with much more interest' abroad than usually attaches to such statements, for the reason that is is expected to disclose the President's Views on the subject of America's international relations, particularly as they affect Germany. So far Mr Harding has avoided all attempts to discover the precise nature of his. policy in this.respect, though there has been good ground for belief that: he has been seeking some substitute for America's entrance into the League of Nations, Reports were current in February, at a time when the President-elect was carrying put at> hia home his campaign promise to consult the "best minds" in America, that his plan would prove to be the entrance of the United States into'the League after that body had been greatly modified. No confirmation 6$ this report took place, however, except so far as it was conveyed in » passage in the President's inaugural speech, in which he . declared that America sought no part in directing the destinies of the Old World, but was ready to enter an association of nations for conference and counsel which would not impair the United States' sovereignty. It has been said that'the mission of M. Viviani, the French special envoy now visiting Washington, was to induce America to join the Leagua on the condition that Article X. was eliminated from the Covenant. That Article pledges the members of the League to preserve against external aggression the territorial integrity and political independence of all members, and, if such aggression is threatened, to concert measures for fulfilling their obligation. The Article was the stumbling block to America's joining the League at the outset, and the recent announcement by the official organ of the Republican Party, "So far aB "United States intervention b concerned, we are out of indicates that opposition to American intervention in European affairs is as strong as President Wilson found it to be on his return from the Peace Conference. And yet, tacked on to Senator Knox's peace resolution, which has been mentioned frequently in recent cable messages, is a further reso-

lution which, if canie'd, would bind America, given certain, conditions, to intervene. The resolution which Senator Knox, the leader of the "Irrecon"cilables," who were the backbone of the opposition to the League of Nations, is expect€d to propose in a few days, aims, we are told, .at terminating the state of war still existing between the United States and Germany, and providing for the disposition of German property in the United States, and will request the President to negotiate a new- treaty of amity find com-, merce with Germany. France's objection to a separate treaty of peace between Germany and America, on the ground that it would encourage Germany to refuse to pay the reparations bill, has been met, though possibly not to France's satisfaction, by the declaration in the informal Note sent to the German Government from Washington that the United States stands with the Allies in holding Germany responsible for the war, and therefore morally bound to moke such reparation as i.s possible. The additional resolution to be moved by the Senator runs as follows : It is the declared policy of the United States, in order to meet fully and fairly our obligations to ourselves and to the world, that, the freedom and peace of Europe being again threatened by any Power or combination of Powers, the United States will Tegard such a situation with grave concern, as a menace to its own peace and freedom, will consult with other nations affected with a view to devising means for the removal of such menace, and will, the necessity arising in the future, cooperate with the friends of civilisation for its defence. If this does not mean that in the last extremity America will intervene by armed force in Europe in order to secure peace and freedom, and protect civilisation from such an attack as that of Germany's in the Great War, it is difficult to see what it does mean. And if that interpretation is correct, what becomes of the Republican Party's declaration of non-intervention . in Europe? The resolution certainly does not go so far in binding America as Article X. would have 'done, for, as Senator Knox pointed out, "it does "not subject our judgment and con- " science to the will of a foreign coun"cil." But it constitutes so great a departure from the opinions of Mr Wilson's opponents that one is curious to see how far it is supported by the Pre'sident, and its fate when submitted to the Senate.