The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1925. THE PARIS AGREEMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 19459, 26 January 1925, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1925. THE PARIS AGREEMENT.

Senator Borah’s opposition to American participation in the financial agreement arrived at by the Allied Finance Ministers at Paris has occasioned much sensation in .American political circles, where his attitude is no doubt prompted by his unfailing support of and rigid adherence to the principles of the Monroe Doctrine. The true significance of his action lies, of course, in the fact that Senator Borah is Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, and that Committee controls the foreign policy of the Government. The President cannot make a treaty; in order to be valid it must be passed by the Senate. A Senate which has made Senator Borah the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee is likely to be largely guided by his views, and we may therefore anticipate that the participation of the United States in the agreements recently made in Paris will be cancelled. It was, however, well known that Senator Borah held these views. The previous Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee was Senator Lodge, an aristocratic representative of an old Puritan family, with a personal quarrel with President Wilson. When President Wilson came back with the Treaty of Versailles, Senator Lodge was instrumental in bringing abo.ut its defeat in the Senate. He died recently and Senator Borah has succeeded him in a position of immense power and little responsibility. He has on more than one occasion expressed the opinion that Europe wants nothing from America but its money, and there is therefore nothing to be surprised at in his pronouncement against the union of the United States with the other Allies in the enforcement of Reparation claims against Germany. But while this is the only part of the announcement that interests foreign nations, it is easy to realise that the action has a wider significance in the United States. President Coolidge has just been declared President by an unusually large majority, yet it seems probable that he will be helpless for the whole term during which he holds office. The Republican Party have a good’working majority in Congress, but apparently are not agreed on any line of policy. In Britain a Government which could not carry its measures would go out of office, but that is not passible in the United States, and Government will therefore remain for the next four years in a condition of suspended animation. The unfortunate position of the President and his Cabinet is that there is no substantial support for an international policy in the constituencies. In the recent election Mr Davis, who had been the American Ambassador in London, endeavoured to interest his audiences in foreign affairs. There was no opposition, but on the other hand there was no interest. People were engrossed in their own concerns. The great majority given to President Coolidge was given in the hope and expectation of good trade. The President himself said as little as possible on any question of policy. The charges of corruption were put on one side, and the country looked forward to quiet times and good trade. Unfortunately, political questions will not wait because people desire quiet, and the United States has not been able to refuse entirely to take part in international matters. It is not so much a question of material interests as of the dignity of the country, and of its taking the position which its size and strength mark out as befitting. A wave of national pride passes over the country at intervals, and prompts them to assert themselves. In the intervals the oldfashioned American who bases himself on Washington’s advice 120 years ago to refrain from European entanglements, has the ear of the public and the vote of the constituencies. So now, Senator Borah creates a difficult situation by raising the same contention in regard to the Paris Agreement. Being an ardent supporter of the Monroe Doctrine, he sees its principles being violated because: Participation of the United States in the financial arrangements respecting the division of German Reparations would make them (the States) morally, if not legally liable for joint action with the Allies in the event of any failure by Germany to carry out the payments.

In other words, Senator Borah wants America to keep out of European complications, but it is difficult to see how this action can be persisted in indefinitely. The United States is out after trade, and if she desires to trade with Europe, it is difficult to see how she can, remain outside the international arrangements which are designed to restore and improve that trade.