El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-27
FUTURE OF FRANCE IS BOUND
UP IN TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT
Threw Away Safety on President Wilson's Assurances
Against Advice Of Foch Means Abandonment Of Coun-
try if Senate Does Not Back up Leaders Words; Flu
ture Delegates Word Would be Held Unreliable.
D. FRANK H. sIHONDs.

WTAsHNGTON D. C.. Nov a.
W The progress Of the debate and
the preliminary action in the senate
more and more sharply raise the ques-
tion OF the fate Of that Anglo-French-
American Treaty. which awaits ratin-
cation OF rejection, following the de-
cision in the matter OF the main
treaty Of Versailles. itself It is no
eZaEgeration 90 say. moreover. that the
lection Of the tripartits agreement
would be regarded all over Europe.
but particularly in France, as a dis
tlnet population, on the part Of the
lnlteu states or moral If not
legal obligation incurred at Paris
II IS or course, quite true that the
agreement made between Ciemen-
ceau. Lloyd George and wilson was
SUBJECT in all three cases to the ac-
ton Of the respective legislative
branches OF their several states. The
president could not nor did he ar
tempt 10 bind the United States. but
merely agreed TO use his best efforts
20 procure the approval Of the senate
Tor the promise 20 France
hut by contrast, he ed per-
aunde the French 20 lay aside
many demands regarded By the
stutesmcm and the people alike
as =atal TO French safety on the
assurance that Tor these guar
lntees in the shape OF territorial
and military barriers, America
would offer the even mere pow
erful substitute Of American mIl-
ltury guarantee.
Everyone who was IN Paris during
the FZca Conference knows thar
Foch demanded for his country and q s
an essential condition TO future Sc
curity. the occupation Of the left bank
OF the Rhine. The sole excuse Glenn
enceau could present for putting aside Z
the advice OF the great soldier. whose
military genius had won the war. was
the Veraclous statement that 1resi- f
dent Wilson opposed such a course. .
with the complete support OF Lloyd
George, ard that TO insist upon Il
meant TO ALLEVIATE America
France Would Have Resisted.
When the terms Of the treaty were .
themselves made public. the French /
nation waited, not for the details Of .
this document, already fairly accur- 3
atelT forecast by past reports. but /
Tor the exact terms OF the pledge 81 I
france knew had been given By the
president and the British prime min
lister 10 assure British and American
support should Germany attack again.
Had such a pledge given In the most
absolute terms possible been lacking
Clemenceau would have gone out Of
poker End the treaty would have been
by France out Of hand.
Moreover, had there been the small
est suspicion in France. that there
was any question OF the farcsa BE
action Of the United states senate.
then France, without regard 10 parties
Or persons. would have cema nded that
the views Of Eoch should be accepted
and those OF Clemenceau discarded
IN point Of fact there were many
Erenchnen who preferred the Foch
IN the United states The discussion
OF this treaty has turned on the fact
that no actual pledge could be given
BY the president and the right and
power always remained with the
senate This IS true in fact, but IL
Is no less true that the French were
persuaded by the American represcn-
-atiTes in Paris that the ratification
BY the senate was certain and on this
assurance conveyed By the president
q the United States himself, they q
consented TO resign IN advance, what
AZ in their power 10 acquire and IN
.ne-r need % possess. i the American
i'd promised in the agreement, should :
be denied.
Pres. Wilson Responsible.
II we now reject the French insur- e
luce agreement, for that Is what the
-rinartira agreement amounts 70, the
fleet. If not the intent Of orr course,
win &c TO abandon the French. after 4
iaFiug led them into a difficult and
sven dangerous course. The fact is q
hat president wilson was responsible
or the surrender by the French OF the
project for q permanent military oc- 2
Of the Rhine barrier as an
insurance against a new German ag-
-ression. They abandoned Il only be- :
'ause they believed that In offering
hem the substitute Of an American
pledge 70 aid IN case Of any German Z
-ttaclzs he had promised with GER /
aintv Of performance. II the senate
ieclines TO give force 70 the presi-
.enLs promise france VIII not only ,
eel herself betrayed, but viii obvious a
3 have sound basis for such feeling. l 1
II the president Of the United
states can so 70 Europe and per q
nulle European NATIONS t. AAg
aside leEtrlunre uemanda ana
claims ana to abandon a policy
conceived By their leader, by 2
men Of the worldwide eminencc
Of marshal Eochs to be a matter g
OF IIfe and death, on the asEur-
ance Of future Americuu nssist-
uuce and then Ike SENATE OF the
United stuteF refuses to make
GOOD the presidents promise. then
Il ls patent that the word Of =
america VIII lose much Of its
TuIue IN world conference
A debate, a dispute between the =
resident and the senate over the real r.
limits Of the power Of each in the ,
natter Of treaty making. IS a purely q
Domestic matter. so long as IL does g
lot involve the safety or the pros G
.erity OF the other nations Of the Z
world But ft becomes something .
more than a domestic matter. when y
he nations Of the world. seeing the =
resident arrive in Europe as the 4
representative Of the 3
-nited States, with all the prestige Of Of
IS high office supporting him and ac- j
eptinE him as such, consent 20 yield 81
helr own views TO his. surrender their
vn policies to his, risk their own =
afety 20 comply with his purposes Z,
nlv 10 discover that, when they have =
one eli that was asked OF them, when n
heir sacrifices have become irrevo- =
able, the United States, through \,
he senate. can repudiate the presi- -
ent's course and leave them without "
amedy- q
Question OF Policy. "a
The question raised Is not one Of s.