Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-29
OF Pershinq With FOch
Led to Offensiue, Victory,
American Editor SQus

AIJIH.
Baltimore. Nd. Nov. 2s.-The Sun.
one. OF the leading administration pa
pers in the east, prints an article by
Frank r. Kent, its managing editor,
who has Just returned from Europe.
In It he seeks to tell a story Of the
international complications abroad
that would not be permitted to come
by cable and to tell some Of the dit
ficulties that confront the approach
ing peace conference.
Fair words flow in the open, but
when n goes inside quite an amax-
Ing situation is revealed" Mr.. Kent's
article says, and it does not argue
a lack Of sanity or balance to &C.
knowledge it.. 1t is this situation that
led to an 8. o. S. call to the presi-
dent from Americans in Paris weeks
ago: I know Of two strongly worded
cables sent to him from there. urging
the vital necessity of his presence and
laying before him certain facts.
Says u. S. Part is Belittled.
THE truth is, and everybody in
Paris knows it, that in governmental
and political circles they do not love
US at all over there, neither the Eng
fish nor the French. Between indi-
viduals of different nations and races
warm and sincere friendships are pos
sible, and there are plenty of English
men and Americans and Frenchnfen
and Americans between whom there
are the strongest friendships. But
there Is something about races and
nations as q whole that makes the
kind of friendship that exists between
individuals impossible. Paris these
days most beautifully illustrates this.
Now that the war is over, Ameri-
can observers of experience and with
facilities for observation r strongly
disposed to think they discern a dis
position upon the part of the other
powers to,set the stage against US.
Sharp Clashes Predicted.
"At the peace conference some Of
our views and aims are going to clash
and clash sharply with I'M Of theirs.
Our view of what we did over there
'ts going to be- a little different from
theirs. Their inclination to pick the
bones OF Germany does not fit exact
~ In. with our feelings, and there will
be a divergence very marked di-
vergence-upen Che Interpretation Of
those famous phrases, The, freedom
of the seas and sea power
Some disposition to resent any
thing like American domination or
the speaking of America in a strong
manifesting itself in an undercurrent
of criticism of our army staff and a
tendency to minimize somewhat our
efforts in the war.
Politicians Lead Discussions.
This is true of the politicians. It
Is not true Of the people. So far as
the latter are concerned they will be
wholly satisfied, both in England and
France, If the peace conference gives
them complete insurance against war
makes. war Of any kind. at any
time, between any peoples utterly
impossible. This is what they want,
and this is all they want, and their
feeling toward us is entirely sincere
and friendly.
Not so the French and English
politicians. who smart under the OBJ
vious fact that, since America set in
to this war game, America has held
all the big cards. Wilson has done all
the dealing and they have been fol-
lowing his lead.
U. S. Leadership "Cllafes Leaders,"
Now the great danger has passed.
the European statesmen chafe under
this situation, and some Of those who
have been big figures during the war
see themselves sinkingaainto political
obscurity unless as an outcome Of the
peace conference they can say, We
got this for France or We got this
for England or We sgot TINS for
Italy,
The strength of our position is
t~haf.neither Wilson, NOR House, nor
Bliss. nor Pershing, nor any other
Aparican desires to say, We got this
for America America wants moth
ing. for herself. That, coupled with
the fact that England owes US 49,
0~00,o00,O00 and France owes us near
~ $4,000, 100000, coming over to at
tend the peace conference for both
nations, makes it likely that we will
continue to deal the cards. norwith-
Standing. the resentment in certain
Balfour Sees Trough AFFAIR" :
Some days ago, in commenting up
on the report that President. Wilson
was and that we still hold the purse
strings, A. ]. Balfour said to a friend,
1t is going to be a rough and tumble
affair, this peace conference The re-
mark reflects the real conviction un-
derneath the surface.
I'm what follows. I am giving the
talk Of the inner American circle in
Paris as reflected not only by the
ablest American correspondent, but
by some Of the very highest and most
important diplomatic, military and
naval Americans there. It will be a
somewhat disconnected story, but the
facts have been checked up from SO
many sources that they can be relied
upon. Every American there knows
them-and the president knows them.
Pershing, Foch Clash, Report.
In the first place, General PERISH
ing is anything but popular over
there with the French and British
high commands. The distaste for
him dates back to the early spring OF
1917. when, after having first agreed
to permit the American forces to be
brigaded with the French and Brit
ish in p~latoons. he got cold feet on
the proposition, and in a memorable
conference with Foch and TIaig stood
up and, in effect, said that the Amer