The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-30
FRICTION
IN ALLIED RANKS
NOT SURPRISING
Continued From First Page,


We go through all this suffering and
unity Of action In war not to know how
to keep ii at the peace conference"
True enough there have been stories
Of British n French aggressiVeness,
Of efforts to discredit Americas part
In the war, Of British propaganda to
emphasize Great Britain's work. of
skillful maneuvers to get control of
American raw materials through pur-
chase Of stock IN American concerns
and of "A concentration Of energies to
get hold Of most OF the American mer-
chant ships, But while all these ideas
have been discussed in official quarters
from time to time, as they could not
help being discussed there lever was
any doubt expressed that every differ
enCe could be ironed out.
Persons who brought the tales were
anxious that our government should be
on its guard, that President Wilson
should not be blinded by the effuslve-
ness Of the reception given him into
forgetting that he must protect Ameri-
can business and industry at every
step, But there need have been no
worry because Mr.. Wilson is as well in
formed II not better thar the return
ing correspondents, While the latter
gossip they near Mr.. Wilson makes up
his mind az a result OF the actual
moves Of governments and foreign bus
mess interests associated with them,
] ne nIcSluclL hllOWS InE WnOle STU
alton and | can not find that he has
allowed the many apprehensions con-
corning trade rivalries TO effect the
spirit with which he will enter the
peace conference, He Is as confident
Of harmony at the peace table, | am
told, as he was instrumental In getting
harmony of action In the war, 1t IS
incOnceivable that a man like Lord
Reading, for example, who is to be a
member of the British delegation and
who has talked frankly to the presi-
dent before on these questions would
not be as anxious to prevent disagree
ment as MIR. Wilson himself.
At this distance II has always been
difficult to appralse the Importance of
the tales OF the travellers. Government
officials sometimes gave credence to
them as being based upon facts hut
after months of that sort of talk Is
that In each Of the allied countries
there has been a naturaI pressure upon
the governments to secure at the peace
table advantages for their respective
business interests. American business
men would want the president to look
put for them; so would English and
French business men. Hobbies have
been known to gather in American leg
islative halls and they may be expected
at the scene Of the peace conference.
But the statesmen VINO are going to
deal with the whole situation are in
terested primarily in getting a durable
peace and the test Of every proposition
trade or commercial matter will be
Does 1t threaten the peace Of the
world; does 1t menace any body Of
people; can the same purpose be ac-
compllshed otherwisep"
No doubt there viii be differences,
no doubt they will develop strong views,
but Dothlng has happened to cause any
body in the United States government
to believe that any insuperable obstacle
will present Itself at the peace confer
| ence, Public opinion In all countries
will be the corrective force and as 1t
| appears likely that open diplomacy will
be the rule at the conference. every
proposal will have to stand the greatest
test of all the approval of the peoples
Of all the countries involved in every
transaction.
When President Wilson asked that
censorship be removed by the British
and French governments he took an
| opportune step towards providing the
PEOPLE Of the world with information on
| which they could base a discriminating
judgment.
| Copyright. 1918, by the New York
Evening Post, Inc)