The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-01-02
WILSON HAS LOST
PEACE INITIATIVE
FRENCH OPINION
FAMOUS FOURTEEN POINTS TO
BE USED ONLY so FAR AS
FOUND PRACTICABLE.
WILL MAKE FOE PAY PENALTY
lloyd GEORGE AND CLEMEN.
Il. CEAU HAVE SUPPORT OF
THEIR COUNTRIES.
{By Frederick Moore. }

(By Frederick Moore.)
Paris, Dec.sS1.-The peace initiative
has now passed out of the hands OF
President Wilson. Lloyd George OF
london and Clemenceau and Pichon in
Paris have made known the demands
Of their. governments. These demands
as formulated are designed to make
Germany pay for its mlsdeeds in the
war.
Premier Lloyd George discussed
Britian's attitude privately with Mr.
Wilson. Frances demands have been
publicly proclaimed in the historical
all night sitting of the Chamber OF
Deputies. @s,s
The French program involves the
remuneration of the Sarre Basin, the
enforcement of French rights in Arm
enia, and Palestine, and the remova.
of international hinderances to
Frances freedom of action in Morocco
al plans to intervene in Russia
through the Ukraine.
Regarding the left bank of the
Whine, France goes no further at pres
emit than the declaration that she must
be pre- armed against any future Ger
man aggression across that river.
What other guarantees she may re-
suire against this contingency remain
to be seen. Her full demands foe lep-
aration also arc Tor future develop
ment.
This action has reduced the A1nerl-
can peace mission to defensive at
titude. and the commissioners have
retired to the entrenched position On
the acceptance by the Allies OF VII
sons fourteen points. z
Chamber Supports Clemenceau.
The French chamber Of deputies
supports the Clemenceau policy, as
indicated by the vote of 1913 to 80 on
4 call for an expression of confidence
in the cabinet. The British electors
have also returned Lloyd George with
majority of more than 200 seats.
p Despite the British elections and
He declarations of Premier Clemen-
eeau and of Pichon in the French
chamber, the Maison Crillon continues
the attitude of everything is well"
Apologists for Mr.. Wilson say tina
from a tactical viewpoint this optl-
m;stic attitude is the only one pos
s;ble to take in the circumstances.
The speculation is INDUCED as to
whether President Wilson might not
If pressed, compromise upon few
territorial points such as the valley Q
che Sarre, claimed by France. This
you'd deprive Germany ON minerals
and coal in place of which she must
imsort other supplies from England
Most Europeans regard the problem
If remaking the map from "real'e
standpoint. They agree with the VIII
aon;an principles but argue that these
can be applied only as far as circum.
stances allow.
People Appear Content.
</tVriends of the President think thai
aph Mr.. Wilson fails to carry the
.srnments, the opinion of the peo'
az Is with him, but everything points
~ the belief that the peoples involved
" IRE SO glad at the prospect OF return.
mo from the battlefelds and SO intent
mon private matters that they ar.
devoting no time to thinking OF poll
tics. They are mostly content to leave
everything in the hands OF those Wns
,voy, the war. This attitude was con
armed at last nights sitting OF tn,
chamber of deputies. In his speecf
Premier Clemenceau said he had beer
attacked for ruling as tyrant II
silence, without paying any ATTENTION
to the legislature. He admitted tna'
he had done so, but maintained that nc
was justified.
eve are team of good Frenct
men. good patriots and honest men. Il
Won vote us confidence we shall go to
the peace conference with still greater
force"
The Socialist leader, Albert Thomas
replied: "In this hour of peace, as IN
hours of war, you have behind you the
immense majority of the country
Sees Wilson Yielding.
In view of the opinion here two
things emerge clearly from the pre-
mier's speech. The first is that
Clemenceau is convinced that Pic
dent Wilson has decided to abandov,
any part of his doctrine regarding the
freedom of the as which may be IN
terpreted as inimical to the mainten-