Evening star., 1919-04-19
COMPACT ALLEGED
TOPROTECT FRANCE
Story of Secret Treaty, With
President Wilson PIedging
u. S., Is Discussed.
BARS FUTURE HUN ATTACK

The latest sensation in the dramatic
feries of events of the Paris peace
conference is the reported secret agree
rnent of President Wilson with Glenn
enceau and Lloyd George that II
Germany attacks France again, the
United States and England will come
to Frances defense. 1t was eagerly
discussed in all official circles here
today. The story as it came to WASH
ington through newspaper reports
was in brief this:
That President Wilson will present
TO the Senate, in form yet to be de-
termined. treaty supplemental to
the peace treaty which Will In enect
provide that the United states will by
force of arms assist France against
threatened invasion from Germany.
the understanding being that Eng lana
will join forces in resistance to Hun
invasion. The reports were careful
to point out that there was no reIer-
ence in this agreement of a triple
alliance by which France and the
United States shall assist England,
if threatened.
Comment Is "Unof6cia1."
In the absence of verification of the
published reports, interesting and
sensational as they were. the COM
rnent today of course had to be un-
official and fragmentary. Those who
cling to the policy of mo entanghng
foreign alliances naturally were
chilled to the marrow at the SuggeS-
tion of such an agreement being en-
tered into by the United States.
Others. explaining that they realize
quite fully that already the United
States has engaged in world war
ar rod
they could find no fault with an
agreement among three great powers
which might obviate recurrence OF
such a war in the future.
The men who talked thus expressed
the opinion that as a cold clammy
matter of fact, if Germany is given to
understand she will have to fight the
United States and Great Britain in
case she starts something against
France-wen. Germany will not un-
Gertake aggression
League of Nations with Teeth"
In other words, they expatiated.
here would seem to be league OF ma
tions with teeth" The excuse Tor
participation of the United States in
such a concert of defensive effort
would be exactly the grounds upon
which the United States went TO war
with Germany-self-prese IN
civilization in Europe.
If President Wilson should come
back bringing such a treefy, he would
find important support among repuo-
lican senators. He could call upon
make good his theories advanced in a
resolution introduced in the Senate by
the Pennsylvania statesman and con-
stitutionalist last winter.
In that document Senator Knox as
y~s% fot ant IN
war with Germany to uphold the free
dom of the seas and ito remove for
ever the German menace to our
peace"
AS if gifted with foresight, endowed
with prophecy of the very thing the
President is said now to be proposing
the resolution declared that If the
like occasion should arise in the fu-
ture the same alliance against Ger
many should be effected.
Language Of Resolution.
Here is the language:
THAT for the safeguarding of these
aims the first essential is a definite
understanding that, the Same neces-
sity arising in the future, there shall
be the same complete accord and CO.
operation with our chief cobellig-
erents for the defense of civilization
To be sure, it was pointed out today,
such an understanding more nearly ap-
proaches Clemenceau's practical bal
ance Of power" than the ideal OF a
league of nations, but commentators
suggested that this is an effective prop
osition which might well conserve the
peace Of Europe until a league of ma
tons ideal can be converted into a going
concern.
The concert Of defense against Ger
man aggression on civilization, they
added, has been a ''going concern" since
the first American destroyers slipped
overseas in the wake of Admiral Sims,
and IL reached a hi0hly effective sfa fe