The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-12-07
Germanys Neig]bbors Not Enthusiastic
Aviation League Including the Hun
French, English,
american Vices
Differ Greatly
BY FRANK N. sIM0Nps.
Author Of '"The World War;" HThey
Shall Not Pass"

~ SN9IgS "GTP HGY
Shall Not Pass"
Copyright 1918, New York Tribune,
! 1nc.) ~ ~.
In several previous articles I have
discussed various aspects and prob
lens OF the Forthcoming Peace Con-
gress at Versailles. The great va
riety of questions TO be decided, ter.
rttorial, financial and political, since
O very large portion of Europe Is to
be remade, has already served to
confuse the mass of observers, and
this condition has not been 1essened
by the addition Of the supreme
puzzle, which is the League Of Ma
tons.
In the present article. however. I
intend to deal, not with the prob
lens which are to be submitted to
the decision of the congress, but to
the equally important question of the
| view OF the various European peo-
pies, still our associates against Ger
many, as it affects and will here
| after affect our influence at Yer
! satlles. Such observations as I here
| make are based upon the comment
Of my French and English friends
and the reading of the various for
eign journals. which come to this
country.
Recognize American Aid.
In the beginning it must be said
that there is singular unaninity
abroad in recognizing the plain fact
that without America Germany
could not have been beaten. The
was has ended in 1918 because we
| supplied. F'och with the necessary
reserve, available and prospective, to
push this great offensive. In the
spring the Germans won great ini-
tial successes, but the cost was so
great that their man power gave out
at the precise moment when there
force victory. On July 18 the first
American divisions entering bait
tie gave Foch the advantage Of num-
bers at the decisive point. There
after he was always able to count |
upon a perfectly regular new con-
jtrihution month by month.
Only less decisive was our aid in |
material directions, in money and in |
supplies; while, small as our naval |
contribution was; measured by COM |
parison with that of Britain 1t was |
a precious aid at the moment when !
the submarine peril was at its
height.
Europe, then, and particularly our
British and French allies, feels to-
ward this country. a gratitude which /
Is spread over Che whole popula-
ton, and is nowhover more genuine
and intense than among the poorer |
classes, whose immediate sufferings |
were greatest and whose grin
through peace is swiftest in arriving.
This is the foundation of the in
fluence which we have today in E1-
rope and the basis of the appeal our !
voice will have in conference.
Fear Future Menace.
But along with gratitude, which
would express itself in a prompt
compliance with any request Of ours
made in our own interest, made for
the safeguarding Of any policy Of
ours, there is an unmistakable ap-
prehension born Of the suspicion
that our great influence may be ex-
erted to procure things OF little real
value to us and carrying future
menace to our associates. For eX-
ample, it is customary in America
to say that we make war, not upon
the German people, but upon their
rulers. We have always in certain
official quarters made clear dis
tinction between the masses Of the
German people and their rulers. But
no such distinction exists in the
minds Of the French people, and 1t
mas pFdCLCdlly ulSdppSdIeu LlOl1A
British minds.
The Frenchman does not see in his
ruined villages, his ravaged fields
his murdered and ,dishonored wom-
en-, an evidence of the exclusive
spirit of the Prussian or of the Off
cial caste. What has been done is,
to his mind, peculiarly and char
acteristic German thing. He, rea-
sons, without exception, that the
excuses and crimes which have
been committed on his territory and
against his brethren have been the
lasting expression in deed Of what
the German is, not the high born
German, not the prince or the baron,
but the German of all classes. And
in this view the Frenchman fortifies
the evidence Of present expert
ences with those of the past, for
the German has come into France
many times since the days of Caesar
and the Latin descriptions of Ger
man methods are almost Identical
with descriptions Of Huns barbarism
that have become so familiar during
the past four years.
French See No Change.
For the Frenchman, therefore.
there is the realization Of what the |
German is, what he has always
been, emphasized by the events Of
recent years, but illustrated by all /
German history. And in the French
mans mind the German will not /
change easily, probably never In !
any, event, a new form of govern
ment will not transform millions OF
men who yesterday and for years |
past, conducted themselves in the
spirit of barbarism on French soil. |
When peace does come France
will still find herself with an open
frontier toward the Germans. 1t |
will be a better frontier, easier to |
defend, including 100000 people of
Alsace- Lorraine who desire to be
French.
among Frenchmen is not one Of pas
sion toward the German. ] have
walked through many villages
by German troops with every at
tendant atrocity and my French |
guides have shown no passion. They
have said, simply and invariably.
"This is what they did," Ask the
French why and the answer is the
same: 1--WE do not know, but they
always do"
Now, as nearly as can measure
the feeling of the French people
whom I know, there is no thought
of partitioning Germany or OF de-
stroying it. All recognize that under ]
some form of government the Ger /,
mans will continue where they have
been for centuries. There is no de-
sire to take German territory but
there ig vast, an unreasonable
amusement at the American as
sumption that the German will be
transformed by q change In govern
|Ynent, or that Il will be possible to |
fr-1iat and deal with the German who