The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-15
LEAGUE Will
NOT HOLD UP
PRELIMINARY
PEACE DRAFT
Wilson May Find Plans Drawn
for Treaty Without Inclus-
ion of League Covenant,
Points Out Simonds.
PRESSURE. FOR PEACE
BY FRANK A. SIMONDS.
Copyright. 1919. by The Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)


PARIS, March 10.-What will Pres
ident Wilson find when he returns to
Paris? This Is the question which
doubtless is being asked in America
at the present time. To what extent
will the exposition in American poll
tics influence the future course Of the
Peace Conference? While the answer
to the question involves more or less
speculation. certain things are fairly
plain.
In the first place, while the Presi-
dent will hardly receive that same
spontaneous outburst which greeted
him on his 1rst coming, this will be
due solely to the fact that such an
ovation in the very nature of things
would not be repeated; but by con.
trast there Is no reason to suppose
that the President will not be well
coined exactly as heartily as If there
had been no domestic disturbance in
America. In fact, in a certain sense
the Presidents welcome will be the
warmer because his whole mission
has undergone a sea change. He came
here as the representative of America
In Europe and to very consider
able extent his speeches in America
recently have made him seem to be
the representative Europe in America.
To suppose that the representative of
the various governments in Europe
will change their attitude towards the
President of the United States be-
cause of the opposition manifested to
him by the Republican leaders in the
Senate is to make mistake, is to
misunderstan the political situation
in Europe itself Were the leaders
of the various governments in Europe
to change their attitude and treat
ment of Mr.. Wilson, he would imme-
diately become the spokesman of the
respective minorities in France, in
England, and in Italy.
Wilson Represents U. 8.
The thing that is so difficult to tell
and yet so unmistakeable is the fact
that for the masses Of people in Eu-
rope, Mr.. Wilson represents the Unit
ed States, he represents liberal ideas,
and he symbolizes the almost inartic-
ulate desire of millions of plain peo-
pie for settlement of this war which
will make a new war impossible.
According, Mr.. Wilson will be well
coined heartily by the governments
as well as the people. His speeches
in America have been widely ap-
proved in Europe and the possibility
that Lloyd George and Clemenceau
will turn from Wilson to the Repub-
lican Senate does not exist. More
overland this thing should be recog
nized in America, whatever the fact
may be-there is a profound convic-
tion in Paris that Mr.. Wilson has al
ready won his fight in the United
States. In real sense he comes out
as a victor. How accurate or mistak
en- this conclusion is will be better
realized at home than here, where all
our information Is fragmentary and
unsatisfactory.
But having said that Mr.. Wilson
will be welcomed heartily, will pre-
serve his prestige, will doubtless re-
main the most conspicuous figure in
Paris to the end, it is essential to in
dicate that there has been profound
change in certain directions which
will be felt in the immediate future.
When Mr.. Wilson first came to Eu-
rope, the world waited upon him and
his fishes with respect of the League
Of Nations. When Mr.. Wilson ar
rives in Europe this time he will find
the conference at Paris in the act of
completing preliminary peace which
in all the larger aspects will be a
final peace.
Quick Settlement.
In other words, to quote M. Pichon,
the French minister Of foreign office.
Action in the direction Of a prelim-
mary peace with Germany Is likely to
come sooner than anyone expects"
The various commissions have prac-
tically completed their work so far
as the frontiers of Germany are con-
cerned, the question Of the disarma-
ment Of Germany approaches a solu-
tion and at least tentative arrange
ment OF Germany approaches solu-
ton and at least tentative arrange
ment in the matter Of reparation and
financial settlement is to be expected
Sometime within the next month
the conference at Paris is going to
say to the Germans who will be in.
vited to come to Versailles, you will
sign the following peace terms. These
terms will fix the frontiers of Ger
many, they will regulate the future
size of the German army and navy
they will dispose of the surplus arrsa
ment, they will fix price in warships
and merchant marine to be paid, and
in all important respects they will
decide the conditions under which
Germany must hereafter live.
These terms they will be invited
to sign. If they refuse, as is possible.
the Allies can put on the blockade and
Germany will face the situation that
her own food supply approaches its
end. II the Germans sign, there will
be later another occasion on which
as in the case of the Treaty of Frank
their names to a definite document;
but this will be only in minor detail
a modification of the preliminary
peace. With the German phase dis
posed Of, the Allies will with little de-
lay settle the other considerable out
standing questions. Many of the COM
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