The sun., 1916-09-10

wilson and NJ. Poincare, nor even be-
tween the American and French Gov
ernments. 1t was and will continue to
be between American individuals and
French individuals.
THE former wish to sell such and
such a thing and to buy such and such
another thing. while the latter are
under exactly similar necessity. When
in France we wish to buy grain from
Dakota sympathy or dislike for the
men in Dakota who have the grain for
sale will have very little influence
upon our purchase. The men who
cultivate Dakota wheat fields do not
interest us. We are interested only IN
their product. We buy 1t because we
need 1t. not because you want to
sell it.
when the New York woman who
wishes to dress very well buys silks
from Lyons she does not select those
silks because she feels a thrill of SYM
pathy for the worker who wove them
or for the nation which counts that
worker its citizen, but because she
wishes those particular silks and can
get them in nc ot..er way.
S I think this matter of exhanre
of products is quite independent Of
diplomacy and is unlikely to be az
fected by the attitude one way or the
other which the United States Govern
ment has taken during the war.
And while the United States has
not actually participated In the fight
ing your nation nevertheless has rem.
dered to France immense service in
other ways. I already have referred
10 the loans. but they have been but a
part OF what YOU have done. You
have furnished food. ornaments and a
quantity Of things quite indispensable
to both the civil and the military
populations. We do no forget this.
That we have paid for them does no,
decrease our obligation. Why should
sc rot:
Here is another thing which ]
never see mentioned. The United
states since the first day OF the war
mas Kept back from the firing line four
or five hundred thousand Germans
capable Of bearing arms against us.
There ave been. so to speak, four or
hve hundred thousand Germans held
prisoners OF wal upon American soil
For this we cannot be too thankful.
so. although I am not saying that
everything has happened exactly as |
wish it might have happened. ! think
the general sentiment of the French
people toward America is very SYM
pathetic, although you have not Tough,
side by side with us in what We feel to
be our battle for human liberty.
And it must he remembered that
there are a certain number OF French
people who think it very fortunate
that there should be in the world. at n
time when all the great nations OF Eu-
rope are engaged in such furious war.
rare as at present is raging, one
powerful nation which remains outside
the conflict and is therefore enabled to
preserve it's sang froid. its cool blood.
THE refusal Of America to enter the
war concerns America far more than
1t does me or any Frenchman. 1t is
not our business to invite such ond
such n nation to enter the war or 10
remain neutral. Formerly ! was asked
to give advice to the Italians-I took
very good care not to. ! felt that
Italy was a nation which hAd reached
its majority M that therefore it was
quite capable Of judging for Itself as
to its duty and interest and should be
allowed to do so without m~olestation
II RETAINED from giving any sort of
advice or expressing any sort OF op!n-
ion with regard to Italy, and I refrain
, from giving any sort of advice or cx-
pressing n sort OF an opinion with
/, regard To what America should do
'"''Sc'Hh'S tHtIdN'e INTO the war.
But ! am delighted to bear testi-
, mony to the fact which, | understand.
} has been denied by some writer's. that
the feeling of friendship for the States
in France has increased since the war
began. not decreased. 1t Is far more
I friendly than it evcr was before. be-
; cause OF the superb work OF your in
, dividuals. This has touched our
{ hearts"
: "How can the world best readjust
, itself, after the war ends, so as 10
overcome the bad effect OF the vast
waste OF men and money!" / asked the
great economist.
"Readjustmcnt only will bc possible
t said NJ. Guyot, "if our victory Is cffcc-
: tive and complete, This victory. II II
Is to prevent future world disasters,
must have as its result the dismem-
= berment Of Germany and Austria
3 Hungary. feel that the Allies should
act toward the German Emperor as
o the Allies Of lsl4-15 acted toward
Napoleon.
ut will be remembered that after
he had been vanquished those who had
= been forced to fight to the death IN