El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-24

statesmen did not merely conspirs 20
use Mr. Wilson's idealism. they ana
their fellow countrymen came to PARIS
or STAYED at home equally. resolved to
promote the cause Of Anglo-Amerlean
friendship
saw League would Fail.
British statesmen. however. saw
clearly that the league Of nations
idea could not succeed. They recog-
nized that no peace OF Cancellation
was possible. because they knew their
Europe-they knew their own people
the French people, and the Italian
people would never consent 10 permit
Germany 20 escape from the war IN
scathed to resume the old attacks
while the nations attacked by Ger
many were left ruined and bankrupt
What they expected was that as the
league Of nations project became
Anglo-American association, extended
TO include France would become
more and more and more powerful,
until the three nations, acting TO-
gether, dominated. first the peace
conference and later the world,
munity OF interest. if not OF solved
covenants The league Of nations
thus. from the very outset. meant for
the British an Anglo-F'rench-Ame
can alliance
French Began Very Boldly.
The French, on their part. began
very boldly Like George Washing
ton. ~ Ciemenceau was incapable Of
telling a lie, and unlike wise diplO-
mat he had to blurt out the truth
the result was. rs I have said. instant
estrangement between France and the
United States, as represented by 1lr.
Wilson. and a very unfortunate period
OF disappointment Frenchmen would
rot and could not believe in the league
OF nations, with the memory OF old
~
vastatirns in their minds. Moreover.
they s1snew-and it gave them furious
rege-that their allies across the
channel did not believe in the league
OF nations. and they felt they were
being abandoned by their British
were the victims OF their own logic
At a certain moment, this situation
vas acute for the French saw the
British with Mr.. Wilson's. consent. ac-
German fleets. Turkish provinces, !
while their far more modest demands.
such as the claim upon the Saar- coal
basin. we're denied by Mr.. Wilson. I
and their Syrian aspirations. at least
as legitimate as British pretensions in
American and British statesmen
This wns the situation In the
first stage of the pence confer
ence. In this period MIR. Wilson,
with British help. framed the
covenant OF the league of nations,
with British aid excluded, French
amendments designed to give
France security and Japanese
changes drafted TO remove the .
stigma of race fnferiOrffy. Then
Mr.. Wilson returned to the
United States. so far the league
Of nations had been the center Of
European rs well ms American
discussion. but at this precise mo
ment the whole situated changed.
With the presidents departure. the
peace conference turned from the |
league OF nations to the material !
problems, territorial and economic /
And at this point British policy neces-
France and Italy. had material inter-
ests involved Like France and Italy, |
she had economic and financial claims. |
Moreover. she had secret treaties. |
alike with France, Japan and Italy. (
which bound her to support her allies
conflicted with the II points and in /
sured the lmpossibility of making a
peace OF Cancellation
As a consequence. when Mr.. wilson !
returned he found himself in the pres /
ence Of Europe. Europe had given /
him his league Of nations; it was pre-
pared to give him such amendments I
IS the political situation in America |
demanded; but in return It now asked /
Of him his assent to the material and I
practical conditions which had taken /
shape in his absence Above all. they
demanded that ne should subscribe to |
the European idea OF German resDon- I
sibility on the financial side and TO i
the provisions made in the secret
treaties.
Dissatisfaction on All sides.
But these European demands. legit- !