The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-17
WINS PEOPLES
TO HIS VIEWS
President Is Seen by European
Statesmen to Be Gain
ing Friends.
LEADERS LEAN TO LODGE
Show Preference for Opinion
Of American Element Led
by Senator.
by LAURENCE HILLS.
Std6 Correspondent Of TIE suS.


Stag Correspondent Of TIE suS.
Copyright. 1915: all rights reserved.
PARIS. Dec. 16.-While the situa-
tion here is as yet underlined, it Is
already evident that European states
men are taking cognizance OF the
appeal President Wilson is making
by his presence here to obtain the
support of the peoples for his ideas.
The popularity of the American
President was again emphasized in
the demonstration accorded him dur
ing his drive to-day to the City
Hall, where a reception was rendered.
The demonstration lacked none OF
the emotional enthusiasm of Satur-
day, with all the streets packed with
cheering people.
1t is very evident now that 1t is
the hope Of the American commission
that the Wilson principles will find
expression In the peace treaty. This
hope is based largely on the hypoth-
esis that the European peoples are
ready to back him in his desire for
a peace Of Justice and for guarantees
against future wars.
Lodge Views Favored.
Attention is now focused on the
Clemenceau interview and on the
principles enunclated by Senator
Lodge (Mass.). the latter affording
evidence here that the Lodge element
in American public opinion adopts an
attitude more In accordance with the
views of Premier Clemenceau and Of
certain OF the British leaders.
The peace programme OF Senator
Lodge made a profound impression
here, evoking favorable comment
from an important element OF French
public opinion.
Like previous dictated peace ut
terances by Lodge in the Senate, his
programme is welcomed as affording
n definite outline of the Republican
party's position and Is accepted as
being that of the dominant faction OF
the Senate which WILL ratify the
peace treaty.
1t Is evident the Senator's position
Is In accord with the view held In
Government circles here. This ele-
ment feels that President Wilson's
attitude toward Germany will not be
so severe as II ought to be. fear
that is based largely on the Presi-
dents utterances in his speech of No
vember II, In which he promised aid
to Germany.
Features OF Lodge Plan.
The outstanding features of the
latest Lodge programme, as con-
trasted with the Presidents, are AS
sessment of the cost of the war
against Germany and insistence upon
the exclusion of Germany from the
league OF nations until all obliga-
( tlOnS are met III Iuh.
Full agreement upon the latter
point would probably have the effect
of making the proposed league ac-
ceptable to the French. In Amer
lean official circles here that are close
to President Wilson great stress Is
placed on the points In which the
President and the Republican Senator
are in agreement rather than on
those points on which they differ.
The points wherein Senator Lodge
and President Wilson apparently DIFF
fer are those embodied IN paragraphs
four, twelve and twenty-one of the
: Senator's programme. Paragraph
1 four seems to accord with statements
In n recent speech OF Premier Lloyd
George, In which the British Premier
estimated the cost of the war Mt
f24,OO0, 100000 ($120,00O, 900, ,000)
this bill to be submitted to Germany.
The prediction has been made by
the Presidents friends that Lloyd
George would not go so far rs Lodge
and that the latter ultimately would
agree with the President. The intl-
nation was made in circles close to
the President that Lloyd Georges
speech was made largely for political
purposes and that he knew the col
lection of any such an indemnity from
Germany was impoSSihlp
Accept Real Intentions.
While nothing has been done as
yet toward assessing the costs Of the
war on Germany, 1t has been init
mated that Lloyd Georges real views
on the subject have been cOmmuni
tod m thn President and Col HouSf