The Washington herald., 1919-05-04

anu tho AmeFlcanS nave
been earnestly trying to understand
each other. But the Peace Confer
ence has all but broken the golden
thread that has been growing
stronger for over a hundred years.
Our relations with the French be-
fore the war have been always
more or less romantic, and quite
platonic, and the result of a high
respect for our mutual virtues. But
in the Peace Conference each has
had to learn that the other was
highly human: and both of us have
.ounc out that the others faults
were difficult
And considering these revelations.
considering the fact that we hava
had to substitute daily contact for
platonic affection. we have both
done well. And both will be de-
lighted when IT is over, so that We
can get back on the old basis of
distant admiration and impersonal
esteem. For our nerves are
strained; our sense of values is out
of focus. and from these conditions
hatred Is bred.
Frances Principles Restated..
Now. that the Franco-American
diplomatic differences have been
ironed out smooth. it may be well
to restate them; for they show ex-
actly the temperamental differences
between the two peoples. First OF
all. France wanted the Saar Valley.
coal-bearing basin in Western
Germany.
Then France wanted a Rhenish
Republic made on the west bank
of the Rhine. just north and east of
France, steriliZed Republic. which
should be prohibited by the league
Of nations from fortifying itself
or allowing Germany to fortify the
sterilized strip. Also France de-
sired Germany to pay her war debt
Immediately. in order to meet the
critical demands of the French
treasury for funds.
Next France demanded an armed
force back of the league of nations,
and if not that then a General STAFF
composed of the military leaders OF
the members of the league. And
finally France felt that the allies
should pool the debt of the war in
some way, so that France. having
paid so dearly in blood, would not
have to pay SO dearly in treasure
for the war.
Opposed by America.
And every one of these demands
met with American opposition; prob
ably indeed American demands caused
the modification or the defeat OF each
of these demands. And this being the
case land every Frenchman believes
that it is the case) it is obvious that
the French have behaved with more
politeness to us. as American
strangers within their gates, than We
should behave if over a million French
men were quartered say in New Eng
land. or the Ohio Valley, or in the
Gulf States, while her statesmen were
robbing us of our Hearts Desire.
Yet the French demands and the
American refusals were based on
deep rooted national traits. France
to be France had to ask these things.
America inevitably had to refuse
them. The asking or the refusal is
no sign of vice or virtue on either
side; the dog is as good as the cat
They merely have different virtues. In
January. when France demanded the
Saar Valley the demand was made
upon the treaty of 1915, which despoil-
ed her of that territory. Europe un-
derstood perfectly that France wanted
the Saar Valley because she needed
it for the rebuilding of her shattered
industries. but was too well bred to
expose her need.
Poor in America.
1t is not considered i'll bred in
America to expose your need. Every
one in America has been poor and
every one expects his descendants
to be poor. and we expect them to
get rich again.
American and his money. But it
is not so in France. Money goes
hard. Poverty is not a disgrace per-
haps. but it is bad form.
Rags" said BARLEY Campbell. the
American dramatist who write The
White Slave" Rags are royal raj
ment when worn for virtues sake"
But not in France. Rags are rags
here. And frankly to base a de-
mand upon need is contrary to the
instincts of the race. Finally,
America consented to give France
the mines of the Saar Valley as a
part payment on account from Ger
many to France for damage done
to Franch mines. But France would
have preferred to take fewer mines
and have them come under the res
toration of the rights she lost when
NAPOLEON went down hundred
years ago. The sterilized republic
on the west bank of the Rhine in
German territory was the French
idea of protection and revenge.
Americans felt that the wrath of
Germany at the loss Of this terri
tory would create a great danger
of war. And revenge isn't a part
of the American character. Grant
returned to Lee his sword, and gave
back the cavalry horses to the
Southern soldiers. Don't cheer,
men, they're dying" said the Amer
lean admiral after defeating the
in 1903