The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-20
FRENCH OPINION SPLIT
OVER WILSON'S REPLY
"Fr~idr.d Sn i.o,.c,~ SIszAs =
t.rrpnAny-tc AttAs.hn Strw!~
Says ta5so dr. 1AS~s.
Et>nrlLy ArrEovf ANSWER
German Iss,s,le believed 10 10 SHf-
| hc.cptit iac,r for. Pcarc to Forco
Compliance Win Presidents TcrMA.
Former Minister Snyx Door Is Open.
m NAROTH HEDiN.
fStaf Correspondent of Universal Ser-
v1,al

tStaf Correspondent of Universal Ser-
vce.l
I'aris. rrt l9.---WfiI~ unanim ously
a'4 r"art -" a,pr,.v',.- es President
NiiH"'iS ans~.r =, ';crr;.nv. French
~ tt''''3 IS d:vtte,i r"9-.rdtS its pos
S'h!'- ""''se.iteuc.s Tn" conserve
tiSeS. VIM dcptore.i the entire peace
conversation before Germany is de-
cisively beaten in the field. and who
last week Expressed the wish Presi-
dent Nri,xon would ignore the German
proposals. 0ow rejotc~ becAtwe they
believe tho pAxlcys ara over
Tho presodant no longer speaks to
Germxny--hs attarks her writes tho
editor of the Echo do Paris. Since
he preferred explaining to disdaining.
he could not have spoken better"
The liberals, radicals and Socialists
hope the parleys will continue. They
believe the German people are Suf-
flciently eager for peace to force com =
plance with Wilson's wishes.
Door Is Left Open.
Marcel Caehin. the new editor Of
Il Humanite. the Socialist party organ,
rejoices because Wilson leaves the
door open, while Marcel Sembat for
mer minister. says the opening is very
small. and questions whether the Ger
mans are sufficiently beaten for such
submission to an armistice
LAction Franchise, the Royslist or
gan. declares: Wilson refuses an ar
mistice."
Auguste Gauvain, editor OF lie Jour
nal des Dehats regarded as the fairest
among the conservatives, writes:
Wilson's answer might bring most
excellent results inside of Germany.
The soldiers blood is too precious for
neglecting whatever means for the
hastening of a glorious finish of this
long war"
The same writer foresees three
stages in the parleyings % an arm
istice which will finish the bloodshed;
f2) peace preliminaries; t3) final ne
gotiations.
Losers Pledge Acceptance.
When neither side wins continues
the writer. the troops remain in their
positions after the armistice, while,
after victory. the losers give pledges
of a military nature assuring accept
ance of later terms. The peace pre-
liminaries settle the political guaran-
tees. They should follow the arnis-
tice Immediately, while the final ne
gotiations might continue for a longer
time"
Gauvain demands as the first con-
dition for an armistiee the immediate
return of all hostages and political
prisoners, as well as of those who have
been deported and forced to do labor
within Germany AS second condi-
ton, he demands the return o. all
boats and railroad material seized
which will ameliorate the transport
pro iem.
Regarding reprisals," said eau
vain epublic opinion must not take
IA false direction. Such reprisals
/ should consist not of the destruction
of German property. but of appropri-
! alton for repairs of our ruined prov
iinces Destruction. for which man
following his instincts is only too in
clined will give our soldiers brief
savage JOY. while employment of the
enemy in properly repairing the dam
Iages will lessen the suffering, which
does not preclude the proper punish
isient of criminals personally,