The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-18
Republican Strategy Turns Toward
Support of Pact for Defense of France
Not Convinced That Europe Will Be Disguised Time
They Reject League of Nations.

ment is already changing from an at
titude OF absolute opposition to the
idea of the defensive agreement to
one of receptiveness This is partly
due to the fact that none of the
presidents supporters ever explained
nor did Mr.. Wilson see Mt to cable
explicitly Just what were the terms or
obligations of the proposed agree
ment. Off-hand many senators said
they would oppose 1t because IL
seemed inconsistent with the idea Of
a league Of nations to set up sepa-
rate arrangements inside the society
of powers. On the other hand 1t was
not known till Mr.. Wilson got back
that the defensive agreement was
purely temporary measure designed
to protect France until the league of
nations could potentially or otherwise
assure the people of France of their
security. The United States would
be expected to come to the aid of
France at any time in the next few
years when Germany might be dis
covered planning aggression against
her neighbor. 1t would be reiter-
alton of the action of the United
States in April, 1917, for Germany's
capacity for mischief is not consid-
cred by France to by any means be
exhausted. With the development of
diriglble and airplane, sudden inva-
sion from the air has given as much
concern to European peoples lying
in geographical proximity as the
menace of large standing armies of
other years France is represented as
having a case of NERVES" at present,
especially with the American army
of 100000 fading away across the
Atlantic and the British army gone
across the channel. 1t is contended
by Frenchmen that Germany would
not hesitate to wreak revenge upon
France II she felt sure sudden at
tack could be carried to a successful
conclusion, especially If she were sure
of American apathy. France believes
that the very knowledge that the
United States and Great Britain
would be pledged to come to her
immediate aid, would beN sufficient
deterrent upon Germany, whose peo-
pie would not be unmindful of what
cooperation between these three
powers in the past had accomplished.
To Be Easier to Get Through.
It seems certain that the French
agreement will have an easier time
getting through than the league of
nations. Many of those who are
fighting the league favor the French
agreement and Of course Mr.. Wilson
is expected to hold his supporters in
line because of the pledge that the
agreement itself will automatically
expire as soon as the league of ma
lions itself is sufficiently strong to
take over such obligations. Col.
Roosevelt wanted such supplement
airy agreement with France and
Great Britain. Elihu Root, in his re-
cent letter to the senate, expressed
himself in favor of it and Senator
Lodge, republican chairman of the
senate foreign relations committee,
says he, too, likes the French agree
ment and will support 1t. Indeed
the republicans do not see how
Europe will turn away from America
with feelings of disgust, so often re-
ferred to by the presidents support
ers, If at the same time the republi-
cans lend their strength to the
French agreement. The effect, 1t is
supposed, would be to retain the
friendship Of France and Great
Britain, though at the same time
failing to involve the United States
in all the obligations and guaran-
tees of the famous article 10 Of the
covenant Republican strategy there
fore seems to be tending toward
support of the defensive agreement
whereby America would be pledged
as would Great Britain to go to war
against Germany again II the latter
committed what is termed "unpro-
voked aggression" against her west
orn neighbor.