New-York tribune., 1919-11-19
French Fear Ruin
If Treaty Fails
Mem YorL Tribune
II q

Nrr YnrL Tribune
Spcr;oi C~hI. Ccr,;ce
Copyrieht. 1919 New Yorf Tribune rnc)
PARIS. Nov 1S The "Presse de
Parls,' the small united newspaper pnt
out by the b'shers Of Paris sixty
dallies during the general printers
strike printed only four lines this
morning forcshadowing that Presiden t
Wilson might withdraw the treaty.
This IS the only nows that has been
circulated in France. The country
is still occupied with election results
and is stiA unaware of the happenings
on the other side of the Atlantic so
tremendously imnortant to its future.
Government officials refused to be
quoted, insisting the news was not
official, but all joined in dcplorine the
situation in which they see Frances
rcconstruction problem hopclcssly
complicated
Sec Ruin Ahead
The French leaders believe that re-
lection of the treaty by the United
States makes impossible any early
settling of the vital question of Amer
lean credits and uroe that if solution
or that problem is indefinitely DELAYED
untold suffering and possible ruin lie
ahead
The further possibility that the United
States will refuse TO indorse the agree
ment for the protection Of Francc leaves
the majority incrcdulous. They insist
the United States cannot think of
throwing Europe back into the old i'm
perlalism and competition Of armaments
which they believe is inevitable if Amer
lea recoils from the guarantee that
Great Britain has already given. They
use the example of the recent recru-
desccncc Of Gcrm"n imnerialism ns an
indication that when the United States
deserts Europe the Hohenzollerns will
return and the weary history of Prus-
slanism recommence.
Terrible Blow to France
81 don't believe in despaiTfuI pessi-
mism," said one government official to
the correspondent Of The New York
Tribune to-day. "Rut the news -ou
bring, and which ] hope cventunlly will
be denied or modified, is a terrible blow
to France. We are just struggling to
our knees after five years of fighting.
We have lust elected a nationalist ma
jori'y to the Chamber Of Deputies
pledged to undertake vigorously the task
of solving our agonizng domestic prob
lens. Now we suddenly learn that our
chief prop and dearest friend will cut
herself adrift from us Maybe as events
progress this will be found not to be
the case, but that is inevitably the feel
ms the mass Of the people here have"
Consolation to Socialists
Only in Socialist circles-stll sore
from their defeat at the polls by
Clemenceau-d does comment vary from
this strain. The Socialists see in
the happenings in America sap in
the face for the French Premier, in
sisting that his imperialism pre-
vailed in the treaty making against
President Wilson'S idealism. and that
this is the basis of Americas objec-
tion to the pact.
The suggestion that American par
ticipation in the league of nations is
now endangered the Socialists meet
by an obstinate refusal to accent such
a gloomy augury. They profess to hope
that an entire remodeling of the treaty
and the establishment of league Of
nations in which the representatives of
former enemy countries would be adj
mitted Immediately will result from
the developments in Washington.