Evening star., 1919-04-22
BY FRANK H. sIMONDs.

BY FRANK H. SIMONDS.
PARIS, April 1s.-One week ago
| reviewed the circumstances OF the
greatest. crisis of the Paris CONFER
ence and discussed the fashion IN
which the British prime minister was
compelled by public sentiment in his
own country to change front and sup
port tt.a legitimate claims OF France.
It remains now to indicate the sue
cessiye steps by which we nave
reached what must be regarded on the
whoia as 4 Thoroughly satisfactory
accommodation Of the differences Of
opinion which temporarily prevented
progress toward peace. es-.-.e,s.-,.
frances Security as Basis.
At air times it was certain that the
basis Of real peace must be the Sc
curity of France, and no one SO eio-
ouently stated this necessity as tne
President himself in one OF his Garner
speeches in France. But in the prog
ress of NEGOTIATIONS the settlement OF
the lust claims of France was post
poned. while English and American
nurposes were discussed and acted
upon.
nfes to Great Britain under manda.
torv system, and the formulation OF
the principles of the league OF ma
tions. which under Mr.. Wilson's guild
ance comprehe nded American desires,
had reached an almost permanent set
Element, while France found herself
without any adequate assurance OF
reparations for devastations in her
territories. relief from the immense
burden of pensions placed upon her
finances by the German attack and,
what was of even greater lmpor-
tance, no guarantee against future at
tack by Germany.
Until these things were settled sat
isfactorily to France. there could be
no prospect of peace and no prospect
of settlement. Mr.. Wilson, with his
attention fixed upon the league or ma
| tions, was perhaps slow to under
stand that no French. or ior tnat
matter British. government could en-
dure which placed upon French and
british taxpayers all the burden OF
paying for the German attack, save
that portion Immediately compre-
hended in reparations for devasta-
tions.
We had for week a natural col
lfsion between Mr.. Wilson's idealistic
conception of a peaceful settlement
under the league of nations, which
would be self-guaranteeing, the
French demand for settlement which
should be guaranteed by the. allies
of France in the last war, and the
English attitude. which lacked CO.
herence, but seemed to incline rather
to Mr.. " ilson than to the French.
Voice Of English People.
AS 1 pointed out last week. the
voice of the English people suddenly
made itself heard. compelling the
British prime minister to take his
stand with the French and restoring
the situation in which the rights of
the French and the aspirations OF
the Americans could both find IN
equal place In the treaty of peace.
1t now remains to set forth the COM
promise out of which is coming as
surance Of agreement and invitation
to the Germany to come to Versailles.
substantially, this Is what has been
| agreed upon: Mr.. Wilson's league OF
nations. with its amendments de-
signed to meet American criticism
ference, but this league of nations
settiement has been fortified by two
guarantees, one precise. the other
The British have agreed that if the
! Germans shall violate the terms of
peace as they have now been agreed
| upon. and send troops across the
| Rhine. the British army will move
| forth to the continent to the support
Mr.. wilson has promised to appeal
| to the American Senate to give q
similar pledge for America. He has
not gone outside of his constitutional
rights. He has made no promise
which would subject him to criticism.
He has done nothing but promise to
place the situation before the Senate
and ask it to agree to underwrite
the treaty to be signed by the Ger
mans in a fashion which the British
have already promised to underwrite.
We have thus. at last, two condi-
tions Of peace, essential in many
minds, brought into harmony. We
have the American idea-that Is,
President Wilson's conception Of the
league of nations. which would be a
guarantee against-war, adopted in
accordance with his desire by the
Paris conference and bound to be
included in the treaty of peace. We
have, on the other hand. recognition
of the French demand that there
should be assurance. in fact. against
German aggression; that France, as
the outpost Of civilization, should
have something more than another
~, I.,v'.,-'d IN -ro-. Franco II, the
moment OF an new attack growing