Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-12-19
BY FRANK n. siMoNps.

Copyright, 1918, New York Tribune.
For America there is peculiar fitness
In the selection of Versailles as the
scene of The next world settlement.
The liquidation of the German war,
we are told by cable. is to be accom-
p'ished by negotiations carried on IN
Paris and formally adopted in the
plenary session at Versailles. Some
thing like this was the method en-
1 ployed to settle the war OF the ReNo-
luton. and while The document which
contained British recognition OF
American independence was signed al
! Paris, the treaty which restored peace
to the world was another Treaty OF
l Versailles, and Franklin. Adams and
jay, who represented America in that
famous time, were frequently at Yer
| sailles.
We are then, in a Very real sense, re-
turning to the place at which Il eX-
istence obtained European recognition.
Blu how different are the circ.m-
stances! In 1872 we We're the ward of
France. French armies and French
| ships, with French loans, had made
l liberty possible.
/ a year before the armies of Wash
1 lngton and Rochambeau had taken
Yorktown, and the soldiers of France
n of America had shared in victory,
the fruits of which We're mainly
American. But today our armies have
JN''i yS1tA NA1AOi iON2 Cl wac "iiNs As
Foch's happy phrase, have earned the
right to inscribe the word "IMeuse"
upon their banners.
We w France other debts than
those incurred in the Eighteenth CEN
tury. The Marine and Nerdun were
contributions of the revolution and
Toch and Joffre nave served America
as greatly as did Lafayette and Ro-
chambeau, but it is the older debt that
today is clearest in view and gives to
our participation in the world wal a
dramatic and appealing character. To
France, who gave us our independence,
we, in our turn, are returning the lost
Provinces" which are the guarantee of
French integrity. Surely history has
few more remarkable condolences
Memories of the Past.
There are other memories, however.
which will be stirred by a new assem-
bling at Versailles. In a side street.
leading off the Avenue de Paris, by
which the delegates Will come to the
palace, is that tennis court III which
was taken the famous oath from which
came the French revolution. Through
the gates by which the delegates VIII
enter the palace the mob OF Paris
swarmed to seize Louis XVI and L a
him bach TO Paris, and, in The end. TO
the scaffold.
And in the same hall where the dele
gates will meet, the grandfather of
NNlllldm I1OlleIlZOlleII was
German emperor in tue presence OF all
the sovereigns of Germany, whose sue
cessors are now in exile, While the Ger
man guns hurled their daily message
of destruction into besieged and
doomed Paris.
In Versailles Bismarck imposed upon
France the terms which included the
loss of Alsace-Lorraine, now restored.
Where more appropriately could Ger.
many be sentenced than at Versailles!
And back of all other memories at
Versailles is that of the first master
Of all the magnif1cence which nearly
bankrupted France. The spirit OF
Louis XIV, who said, IL am the state"
has been reincarnated in William II.
The old gospel Of the absolute will. the
divine right of kings, Certainly
found more complete expression than
at Versailles. and nowhere else IN the
world could the ultimate reputation
Of his evil tradition be more impress
i've than within the palace OF the sun
King"
Four Famous ParIeys.
Apart from local memories this new
congress OF Versailles must revive the
legends of at least four other great
peace Of Westphalia, in 1913. which Is
reckoned by historians as the open
ing act in the latest phase of European
development, the period OF national
evolution. And these four settlements
ere: Westphalia. in 1913; Utrecht, IN
1711; Vienna, in 1916. and Berlin, in
1873. In the proceedings of these earl
Ter gatherings men will today explore
for precedents, for forms; in the prog
ress Of events at Versailles we may see
many interesting repetitions of events
which filled h world stage in other
centuries.
And Of the four European conclaves
tina OF Berlin 40 years ago will be
most easily called to mind, although 1t
was Of infinitely smaller consequence
han either the present or the preced-
ing world gatherings. 1t will be most
frequently recalled because of the con-
trass with the present assembly. Then
Europe went to Berlin at the invitation
ofs Bismarck, MISUNDERSTANDING that
Germany had ~isupplanted Franc as
the arbiter of the continent, and all the
newly acquired greatness Of Germany,
won on the recent battlefields of Sa-
dowa and Sedan, was revealed in the
unQuestioned mastery of Bismarck.
Europe met in Berlin In 1873 to ems
deavOr to prevent q war between AUS
tria and Britain. on the one hand, and
Russia on the other. growing out OF
the Russian victory over Turkey. Ber-
lin was the meeting place n Bis
marck the dominant figure, because
Germany was now at the full zenith
Of her greatness. resulting from her
triumph over Denmark, Austria md
France, which had made her the great
est Of the great powers. Actually. the
spectacle In Berlin was the demon
stration Of the passing from France
to Germany of the leadership in Eu-
rope, and to the outbreak of the pres
emit war this German prominence in
European councils prevailed.
Yet the briefest consideration OF
the acts Of the congress Of Berlin dis
closes the seeds of the great world war.