The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-19
FRANCES SITUATION.
Her Services for Civilization and
Her Reward.

Her BeWaru.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: An
American publication gave recently this
fine appreciation Of what France did
during the war:
No nation has appreciated more than
our own the tremendous sacrifices OF
France during the war. Without
counting the cost. she threw all her
human and material resources-into the
conflict. No nation has had 80 heavy
burden to bear during the entire
course of history and no nation has
won such imperishable glory.
1t Is true that France had supported
two great wars, that of 1870 and that
of 1914; that she lost IS per cent. Of her
youth from 20 to 81 years old. not in
Guiding the wounded that her northern
provinces have been devastated; that
she spent many billions: that she was
ready to sacrifice Paris. her capital
that she protected the shores of Eng
land and exhausted herself in doing so
even though knowing It was bad STRAIT
egy to keep her armies In northern
France instead Of striking at the rail-
road communications OF the enemy al
she did later with Americas help. II
Is also true that she went to the as
sistance of the serbians, Of the Italians
Of the English; that she was every
where when needed and would have
fought to the last man and died In ar
apotheosis of idealisrn.
But now It Is said, Has she not beer
rewarded? She is coming back again
into her own and Is getting a little
more in being allowed to keep for nj
teen years the coal mines of the Saai
| Valley. After deep thinking her goot
friends were good enough to let hel
have this compensation for her los
mines of northern France, destroyed b,
| tho Germans.
She has also q promise of some bill
ions, but as Germany Is going to b'
bankrupt and can only pay with none,
| borrowed from France and the othel
| Allies until the time comes when Ger
many thinks the joke has lasted lont
| enough, It may be asserted that thii
premise Is worth what a valueless draf
Is worth, and that even her friends
! would not indorse 1t for the paymen
of what France owes them.
! her friends would be only too glad L
give her strong frontiers to protect he
| from a new invasion and them from
new menace. She thought that beint
| strong enough she could then afford t
propose to her European allies and Il
her former enemies to consider II al
the millions of young men fallen oil
the French battlefelds would not sug
| gest to them the idea of better un
/; derstanding. and II the time had not We
arrived when one could begin to la!
| the foundations OF the United States o
Europe, the three Allies. France. Ems
land and Italy. representing western
| civilization, being three correrstones o
this foundation. She probably woul'
have proposed for this purpose tina
each country adopt a constitution
| adapted to this aim, and that finance
DO put again on a sound base by mean
| OF one honest receivership.
But her friends. naval Powers. pro
tected by the sea and led by some gu
of date diplomacy. did not consider
| in this way and insisted on building
League of Nations. including all tn
| races of the world. for the unavowe
purpose OF consolidating an Bngl's
speaking empire built on the movin
waves Of the ocean and consolidated b.
inflated credit.
Being naturally logical. she knows
Is an unrealizable dream, but as he
male population hah been enlisted II
the army and could not cultivate he
fertile fields, as her wheat crop is shor
and she has no bread in the pantry
she Is obliged to accept. at least for
while, this moral argument. But sh
is about to resign the Job Of soldier
civilization. She says she Is now I
be compared to a soldier who has los
two legs in a battle and has been pal
with a cross Of distinguished service
she will from now on live ON glory.
She may propose for the Job the Jugc
Slavs and the Serbians. who seem fu
o. fight against their liberators, the bal
barian Italians, and II they don't tax
It perhaps Germany will accept Il
She says also that the new peace cor
ference should be held at Blo--al'
near White Plains. n. Y. and that sh
will not participate in It. but will blu
ticket to see It Il GRAPIN,
YoNKERs, Mayl7 French Veteran.