New-York tribune., 1918-12-02
Lifting Censorship
On Peace Parleys
Liked in France
Open Discussion Of Aims of
Allies Will Bring Better
Understanding
Much Benefit Seen
French Await With Great
Interest the Arrival of the
President in Paris
Much Benefit Seen
Tribune Gable Service


sh,p Of news dispatches addressed to
.hs limited States concerning the peace
conference.
This opens the way for what hitherto
Ia. been ossible-that Is, free
EXCHANGE of opinion between the three
GREAT Allied nations in circumstances
where it was never more vitality neces-
cory there should be full and frank
discussion.
There has been strong belief here
that America and England are largely
ignorant of French opinion on many
of the questions to be dealt with AT
the coming conference. There rs every
reason to think this belief Is in agree
ment with the facts.
America and England, where the ex-
change Of opinions has not been to the
same extent hampered by the disao1h-
ties obtaining here, are pretty fairly
acouainted with each others views.
French opinion, on the contrary, Is still
almost entirely in the dark ss to what
America and England think, especially
in regard to those among the problems
to be solved which are vital to France.
This unfortunate state of things has
been due solely to the desire of the
French to act in absolute correctness
toward their allies. It has been quite
Justly argued that SO long as censor
ship is known to be applied to all
cables leaving the country any state
ment purporting to reflect opinion here
might be interpreted abroad as having
the tacit approval of the French gov
ernment. Otherwise, it would be ex-
planned, it would not lave been allowed
20 pass the censor.
Service to Allied Cause
The dangers involved in the sitting
Of all exchange of opinion which must
necessarily result from such state
OF affairs have evidently been realized
by President Wilson. The action he
has taken to insure rTee and indepen-
dent discussion is not the least of the
services he has rendered the Allied
cause.
The Presidents step will undoubtedly
result in certain amount of perfectly
sincere criticism of what are under
stood to be his own proposals in con-
nection with peace.
1t may be said without hesitation
there is considerable nervousness here,
and there has been for several weeks, as
to the role the President will play at
the peace conference. 1t is feared, in
the first place, he will be inclined to
be unduly tender to Germany and that
MS humanitarian instincts and incom-
pete knowledge Of the real nature of
the boche as race may cause him to
ignore the dangers this may lead to.
The French possess, perhaps, the most
keenly intelligent and scientifically
just national mind in Europe. They
have a gift for getting at the essential
facts OF problem and arriving at an
absolutely clear minded solution of it
that amounts to genius.
Know Germans Different
Every Frenchman holds as we'll
considered and reasoned conclusion
that it is impossible to treat the Ger
nature and had the same ethical con-
CeptS as any other European people.
The French do not merely believe the
Germans are fundamentally different
from the other nations. They know
this to be g fact.
Their conclusion Is not merely racial
prejudice, but has been arrived at as
the outcome of long association plus
large amount of close and cold scien-
tlfic observation. The average French
man has too keen sense of Justice
to a low himself to be ruled by mere
passion.
A day or two ago, talking with a
mlddle-class Partisan, I asked whether
ne favored giving peace terms to Ger
many along the same lines as those
the boche gave to Rumania.
No, he replied, without a moments
hesltatlon, that wouldn't be just"
Inc temptation was considerable.
put the mans ethical standard stood
the test. He is fair representative of
his nation.
The French as nation are convinced
that the Germans cannot be measured
by the same standard as any other
doesn't realize this
Then people here ure extremely
nervous as to the economic pronosals
they think the American President viii
bring forward at the peace conference
especially in regard to Alsace-L,orraine
I here is a widespread belief that Presi-
dent Wilson is an advocate of more or
less universal free trade, which everv-
body here naturally regards as equiva-
leiiI W pIdy1iB Ul1eCIly lutO tne hands
Of Germany.
President as Delegate
Further, the Frenchman cannot un-
derstand how, under republican
regime, it is possible for the President
10 attend the conference as one of the
plenipo ipotentiaries of his country A
President, the Frenchman argues, is
the supreme head of the nation and is
above the turmoil and struggle He
voices the accomplished will of the
people.
In republican France it is unthink-
able that Poincare or any other Allied
King would attend the peace conference
as a delegate. One might serve as
president or arbitrator, perhaps, though
not IN any matter in which his own
nation is concerned, and certainly not
as plenipotentiary. That is q duty
Tor diplomats or ministers of state.
The idea of mingling Presidential func-
tons with those of a minister of state
strikes the French mind with something
Ike q shock.
All this Notwithstanding, France is
looking forward with greatest en-
thusiasm to the moment when she can
welcome President Wilson in person.
he stands enormously high in public
esteem here, both collectively and in
dividually. Quite apart from Amer
lca's share in the war, which will
never be underrated in France the
part taken by Mr.. Wilson personally
mas placed him in the very front nlace
among Allied statesmen.
IN the opinion of every Frenchman
ne stands second onlv tn Clepooro..