The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-25
ATTEMPT TO KILL
GLEMENCEAU WILL
HAVE BIG EFFECT
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IutEL gIG II HI VI
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knew that the peace conference by it,
decisions would determine whether
France was 10 live or to die, and like
every other Frenchman he came from
the battlefield to the green table re-
solved that France should live.
Mr.. Wilson came TO Paris resolved
that there should be a league Of nations,
Encountering at Paris this unanimous
French nation, finding French interest
and French attention fixed upon the
salvation Of France rather than upon
the formulation OF the principles OF a
league OF nations, Mr.. Wilson and those
associated with him were not successful
in concealing their disappointment OF
their di~saDproval of what seemed to
them a particalaristic national policy.
When France as a whole asked Mr.,
Wilson to go and see her devastated
regions that he might understand her
heart, he returned a cold and ~unequiVo-
cal negative, and l do not think that
any single act Of any man ever car
ried with it profounder disappointment
than Mr.. Wilson's refusal to go to the
northern regions and see that the
boche had done.
And we have had, week after week, a
slow but sure change in French emo
ton with respect to the president. He
was hailed by the little people Of France
as a savior, He was hailed as a man
who came from another world TO de-
liver France and other peoples of the
world from the shadow of tragedy,
which had been, and little by little his
course here had the effect at least OF
creating the impression that he cared
nothing for the life or death of France,
that he was not concerned with those
things which the tragic years of war
had burned into the soul Of every
French man and woman.
Much Disappointed.
l do not think it is possible accurate
ly TO represent how profound was the
disappointment of France at this course
of the American president. A sense
first Of desertion and then of utter iso-
lation crept into the French heart, as
more and more the American attitude
toward France passed from mere cold
ness with respect of French necessi-
ties to open criticism and hardly con-
cealed suspicion. | do not think one
would exaggerate by saying that three
months ago France believed the war
won and today, as a result of what has
occurred here in the peace conference,
there is something amounting to real
terror lest the war shall be lost after
all, and France left alone again across
the pathway of a German increased in
power and population by the last war.
Before the assassin's bullet struck its
distinguished mark, there was perhaps
a certain amount of feeling in France
that some portion Of the responsibility
for the division between America and
France might be charged TO French
leadership, There was a feeling that no
sacrifice could be too great to assure, If
possible, the support Of America for
France. ] am not sure thatsthe result
of this might not have been to bring
about~a change in the French cabinet,
although all France remains forever
grateful to the leader who was the sym
Dol of victory, who made war inces-
sanity while others thought of capitula-
ton, But all that is over now.
The first emotion in France when II
became known that Clemenceau had
been struck down was to rally about
the injured chief. There was realiza- :
ton, immediate and Intense, that in all
recent weeks he has been fighting
against great odds, and in the presence
Of real obstacles, to secure for France
that without which she cannot hope to
live. And il Clemenceau should live to
continue his work In the peace confer
ence, | do not believe there Is the
smallest question that he will speak for
France without qualification or limita-
ton, And II Mr.. Wilson, returning to
Paris, shall seem to pursue still policies
inimical to France, ] do, not think he
will have a vestige of French support
left, either among the big people or the
little people whose hearts were previ-
onsly wounded by his refusal to go and
see with his own eyes all they had beer
called upon to endure in the common
cause, now here more eloquently de.
scribed than in the latter utterances oil
the American president.
New Mood in Paris.
There is a new mood in Paris, which
comedies with the Clemenceau tragedy
but in a measure ~antedated it. IN,
shot OF the anarchist was a rude awak
eniag to a world which was still talk
ing about Utopia while the Bolshevik
occupy half Of the same continent. Eve
theories embodied in the league OF ma.
tons take on u modified aspect whel
N perceives by practical illustration
that force and violence remain common
circumstances of daily life,
This new mood in Paris takes the form
OF a sudden desire to get back to tn
business OF peace making. There is no
a country in the world amongNall VIII
were allied against Germany in whicl
the necessity to make peace, to &c
back to work, are not recognized b
all, in which the threat of anarchy |
not rapidly replacing the menace of | in
dustrial paralysis. Nor is this ney
mood u~ninfluenced by the fact that
while the allied countries have adopte,
principles OF abstract justice, the ney
Germany has arisen from the ashes 9
defeat and begun to shout her oil
threats and old menaces. Il
Clemenceau was the most forceful an
most picturesque personality at Pari.
Had he had his own way we shoul
have made peace with Germany on tn
basis of a just and secure settlemer
long ago. Had he had his own wa,
armies would not have ceased their tas
until 1t was completely done. Had h
had his own way, his own country an
half a dozen little nations scattere
about the fringes of Germany woul
have had some guarantee as to the fl
ture in fact, before the conference Z
Paris had devoted weeks TO the settle
ment of hypothetical manufactures
Asia Minor and the South Sea island
He did not have his way and no sing