The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-16

old man Of France. At the same time
the whimsical turns which NJ. Clemen-
Ceau viii occasionally give 10 matters IN
der discussion and his fidelity TO what
might be called the old school ~ d.
plomacy cause many a homer OF lrfl-
tation. The French premier Is a mas
ter politician and a dominating figure.
One can not help liking his abrupt man
ner and his dectBiveness, But II Is clear
that he imaRines that because America
went 10 the aid Of France IN the Wal
against Germany the United States has
fully committed herself TO all the I'M
plications Of a partnership In European
affairs. that financially, c~onoWicall
and otherwise she is ready to take an
active part In European politics.
Devastated Area Visits.
From the moment Mr.. Wilson got on
the train at Paris the french officials
began talking to him about a visit 10
devastated areas, II was mentioned by
President Potncare n the same gay
by Premier Clemepcehu, and almost eN'
eTybOdy who sat next to the president
or talked with him had something TO
say about the necessity Of seeing the
ruins Of France before he did anything
else. The French imagined that Mr.,
Wilson either knew nothing about the
destruction or that he wasn't mao
enough over II or that II he saw the
stricken cities and towns he would be-
come very wrathful and give all MS
time to the calculation OF an indemnity
! rather fancy that the inclination TO
have the battlefields forced upon him
rather offended Mr.. Wilson. Certainly
he chose his own time to make the trip
and he only spent a day there. Every
body ought TO see the battlefields OF
France TO get an Idea OF the destruction
which has been wrought there, but the
.---4A.A ..II.nNI,g cot thu anVna i'm
preston as Premier Lloyd George, who
declared that the ruins seemed TO him
to be proof of the fact that civilization
had thus far invented no other way to
settle disputes beween nations ana that
a league Of nations was the primary
requisite OF the age. As for the IN
demnity, the presidents representa-
tives In France had made 1t clear before
his arrival-and he himself stated II
| even more positively In his first confer
! ences-that the indemnity levied on
| Germany should be just as large as the
| actual cost Of the destruction and that
undoubtedly the bill would be much
larger than anything Germany could
ever pay. In other words, the indemnl-
ty question quickly resolved Itself into
n problem Of mathematics and statis-
tics-how much can be extracted from
Germany and stlll keep Intact her social
and industrial structure2
Some French Difficulties.
MIR. Wilson'S difficulties with the
French methods OF diplomacy wore
known to correspondents generally,
Many a reflection Of the feeling Of ir-
rltation that prevailed every now and
then at the supreme peace council
came to the men writing about the
conference. But II was not always pos
sible to learn whether personal incom-
latibility or lack Of knowledge on either
side Of the true French or American
viewpoints caused the dissension. Ger
talnly 1t was a surprise 10 most OF the
men who wen to Paris to write about
the conference to find that France,
with which they had expected the
United States to be In intimate and
friendly contact. was more often apart
than in agreement with us on ques-
tons involved In the settlement. Those
who had been longer In Paris criticized
the French mlsconception OF the limits
Of Americas altruism, nut at the same
time pointed out that II was only nat
ural to find a government which rep
resented a devastated country interest.
ed chiefly In financial. territorial and
material questions, because only In thai
way could the terrible losses OF the
wal be partially %recouped, am In,
clined to believe that the president and
NJ, Clemenceau will get along better OF
lnt NNbbllu NlNlN w "Aa AAAbN ~
France. Speeches made In the Ameri'
can senate by the Republicans will bt
convincing confirmation Of what Mr.
Wilson has been saying to his French
colleagues about the character OF the
agreements which Europe must make
before the American people viii fee
like guaranteeing the terms OF tina
settlement.
OF Premier Orlando much might bt
written. He Is a very likablc man, TIL,
president got along splendidly with him
and he, in turn, always seemed to carr!
away n good impression of Mr.. Wilson
but the power behind he throne II
Italy Ia Baron Sonnino, tho forelgl
minister. 1t Is Sonnino with WHOM
both British and Americana ~frequontl
get out of patience, referring TO him a
! the Machiavelli OF Europe. There wer
: one or two little Incidents on the WI
son journey to Italy which indicate
that Baron Sonnino wasn't very anxl
Gus to have the Italian people get to
d, close to President Wilson. But tn
r pressure Of the people was irresistible
and one of the finest things about tn
4 Wilson journey to Europe was the dem
onstration OF friendship for Amerlct
which the plain people OF Italy mani
tested,
Jap Delegates Mysterious.
The Japanese delegates are tho mys
, terry of the conference, They say leaS
! and interfere less In what IL going OF
3 Silently they listen to what IL said an
rarely make comment, Nlscount chin
, da, one Of the Japanese delegates, wa
!, formerly ambassador 70 the Unite
. States, and Is a close friend OF Co
! House. The Japanese delegation a
I ways appeared to be on cordial term
: with all the other delegations, The
a seemed merely interested onlooker
but promise subsequently to a
a vital part In the conference,
on the whole, the president mar
/ aged rather well with the Europea
a statemep, and, while they did not a
ways agtee with him, they, too, formC
. a Mandatory opinion OF his tactful nj
gracious of handling himse
0 on the most delicate OF problems, The
Ii liked his readiness to say Yes"
n No" and his flexible attitude {
d questions wherein he became convince