Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-21
SECRET OMACY
STILL HOLDS SWA Y
Peace Tables Out of Date, Says Gertrude Atherton, Who
Sees Wilson as Chief Figure-DecInes America
Entered Var to Saue Itself
BY GERTRUDE %ATHERToN
Special Gable to Evening Public Ledge

Special Cdole TO EDenLHg PHbttc LedgeF
Copyright, 1918, bv Ncw York Times Co.
Paris, Dec. Fl.
In 1914 the Car of all the Russias
Travelled down to Vienna in gilded
travelling coaches and imperial barges,
to be the guest Of His August Majesty,
the Kaiser of Austria, during the great
peace congress which should arrange
the destinies of Europe. Today there
Is no Gar, no Kaiser.
In 1914 the United States Of Amer
lea was a shiverling little republic,
taking no interest whatever in the
diplomacies of Europe. poor, discred.
tied by the war of 1912, it's greatest
President and It's greatest men gone.
In 1918 the President of the United
States cheerfully granted autocratic
powers for the time being by an
enormous, powerful and wealthy peo.
pie, crosses the ocean in a floating
palace with a distinguished. retinue,
among whom was observed all the
rigid etiquette OF courts or of Washing
ton.
Although a great deal of the honor
paid him is inspired by personal re.
speCt, yet the fact remains that he
is received with greater pomp than
that accorded m sovereign of recent
times. He is housed in the palace OF
Prince Murat, whose wife, born a
Bonaparte, is the the haughtiest wom-
an in'Europe and has an inner circle
who accorded her imperial honors.
Wilson Dominating Figure
Like the Gar Alexander in 1914
he comes as a dominating figure to
the Peace Congress of 1918 and Is
far more likely to fulfill expectations,
as there is no Talleyrand among the
enemy delegates-should there be any
to play one nation against the other
and walk away with a laugh in his
sleeve. At least he is not in sight so
far.
Extraordinary contrasts and resem.
blances are about even. Thrones have
crumbled and the youngest Of the re.
publics, from its remote position in
the western hemisphere, spreads its
great protecting wings over the old
continent of Europe. But here the
contrasts with the days of 1914 ceased.
Methods have not changed in h least.
We heard a good deal of talk some
time ago. about open diplomacy. Never
in the history of Europe has diplomacy
been more tenaciously secret.
1t is ever said that there will be
no peace table, that dramatic oblong
of mahogany hat periodically has
been wheeled to the center Of the
European stage since the close Of the
Thirty Years War, and surrounded by
a historic assemblage of grave, shrewd,
anxious, fallible men. Peace tables are
out Of date, we hear. All will be de-
cided in a long series of private con.
ferences.
It is further rumored-and I should
like it to be understood that 1 do
not pick up my JUNIORS on the street
that there will be just three coun-
tries whose plenipotentiaries will de-
eide the destinies of Europe. The 9TH
ers will take what Is handed them.
This is the day of the autocracy Of
the republic. Great Britain. in many
respects, Is the most advanced republic
Of them ALL
Stick to Old Traditions
Nevertheless. with all their indisput-
able powers and progress, they seem to
have neither originality nor inclination
to break away from the tradition of
those old cars and k~aisers. whose vain
pomp already reads like a sort of comic
opera nightmare. But | fancy 1t Is not
only tradition that holds them, but that
habit of mind which, after centuries OF
practice, almost forces them to think
one thing and say another.
The other day I was lunching at the
house Of a Frenchman who Is less suavC
than most of his race and classes will
whom / have. always quarreled. But
even he began by saying: "Of course
we are very grateful to America"
asked him why he was grateful. well
of course, you came to our rescue at thu
critical moment" he said, and he wa!