Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-07
DIPLOMACY
ON THE JOB IN PARIS,
BUT CANNOT PREVAIL
Mr.. Simonds Believes That Spirit of IDEAL
ism, as Embodied by President Wilson,
Will Emerge Triumphant.
BY FRANK H. sIMoNDs.

BY FRANK H. sIMONDs.
Cablegram to The Star
PARIS, February 6-There are in
Paris at the present time two sets OF
Influences working. both of which are
in sense essential parts of the peace
conference. and either of which seen
outside its proper perspective might
give a totally inaccurate idea Of the
actual conditions These two forces
are idealism, which is slowly but
surely p1os4ffyaffBs tsfes aznbStious ap-
petite and demands of the various
nations and which is contributing to
the creation of real league OF ma
tions. which in my Judgment will
have permanent value for world peace
and world understanding, and in the
second place. old fashioned diplomacy
with its Old objectives. its ancient.
time -honored methods, seeking to do
in Paris in 1919 what it did in Berlin
and Vienna in the last century.
In the present article am going
to try to give an example of the
operation of this old fashioned meth
od, because | think it is valuable for
the american people to understand
this phase as it is and exactly as it is,
neither exaggerating nor minimizing
ITS effect. And 1 am going to try
then to indicate some of the effects
OF this sort of thing
French influence in Syria.
For period of time stretching
back to the crusades France has ex-
ercised a certain half real. half
shadowy protectorate over the
Christians of the near east, and par
ticufarly those of Syria. This has
had its practical value, but hand in
hand with this in the last century
and in the present there has grown
up measure of economic develop
ment in Syria-for example the
French railroads and harbor works at
Beyrout In clear fashion Syria has
been marked as future field for
French occupation territorially and
otherwise when Turkey should dis
solve.
In 1915 England and France signed
a treaty. secret then, but known
generally now, which in substance
recognized that France should have
in Syria for the future precisely the
status which England was shaping
for herself in Mesopotamia. The Ian
guage was perhaps yelled, but the
purpose of the document was unmis-
taxable.
Somewhat later the British entered
into a second treaty with the Sheriff
of Mecca, now known as King of the
HedjaZ, by which Great Britain rec
ognized the sovereignty Of the King
of the Hedjaz over the Arabian east,
including Syria. already promised to
France. On evidence of this agree
ment the King of the Hedjaz joined
the allies and contributed material, if
not decisive aid, in Allenby's great
campaign of last year.
In this situation the British position
became difficult. The French de-
manded that the agreement of 1916
become effective. The King of the
HedjaZ with equal emphasis called
attention to the British commitment
to him, and sent his son Prince
FeisseI to Paris. accompanied by
very interesting young British officer.
Col Lawrence, in some respects one
of the most attractive figures in
Paris today, to plead the cause OF the
Arabs.
Meantime England and France, in
November of last year, uttered a joint
agreement pledging themselves not to
annex territory in the near east But
this meant much or nothing as one
chose to take the French or the
British view. What is. of Importance
is the fact that British policy has
decided to support this Arab commit
ment. and has pitched itself formally
on that part OF Mr.. WILSON'S fourteen
points which demands self-determlna-
ton for small races and peoples
French Not Syrian Choice.
Now the fact of the case seems to
be that, left TO themselves, the
majority of the Syrian people would
rot choose French protectorate.
They would seek some form of
Independence, guaranteed by Y. one or
more protecting nations. therefore
it will be seen that the present |
British policy. which would exclude
France from Syria, falls in with
President Wilson's policy; but. for |
the French at least, there is a sug-
gestion that the Presidents prin- |
ciples have pulled the British out Of |
a bad hole, and bid fair to exclude |
the French from Syria.
Given this material to work upon,
it is easy to see how the professional
diplomats OF the old order would |
burrow and dig and mine and manfpu-
late; and they have done i. and
from one quarter, therefore. we have
an insistent whisper~fhat the French
have become chauyinistic. and from