El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-11

his mind that he would get along with
them. that he would study each man
and make himself as agreeable and
conEenial as he possibly could
During the month Of December
there was, however, GOODNESS be-
tween the president and premier
LLOYD George. The latter had two en-
gaEements in Paris but cancelled
them-giving as his excuse domestic
problems Mr.. Wilson was determined
that he wouldn't talk peace confer
ence problems anywhere but in Paris.
II was said Mr. Lloyd George WOuldnt
go 20 Mr.. Wilson first. Much was said
about the mountain going to Ma
homet. Finally the president went 10
England. Lord Northcliffe is general
" credited with having arranged the
visit and saved a delicate situation
Mr.. Wilson broke his precedent about
special interviews and gave the Lon
don Times an exclusive interview,
saying many nice things about Eng
land and the British people Confer
ences were arranged at Downing
street between the prime minister and
Mr.. Wilson
Wait In Anxiety.
IL was with anxiety the British
newspaper men awaited the outcome
Of that first conference The question
was Would these two leading states
men Of the two largest countries at
the peace table become friends OF
would each cling to the vanities OF
his respective personality As
British newspaper man Of prominence
expressed 1.-THE two men had come
prepared TO hate each other. But
they didn't Their first conference
was affable and in every sense the
very opposite OF what had been an
ticipated- The two statesmen who had
been sitting in Paris and London. each
waiting for the other to make the
first move, suddenly found they had
many things in common
Mr.. Wilson, when he wants to, can
be as pleasant and charming IN con-
versatiOu as any mixer" ever was
He throws off his cold and forbiddinG /
manner when he sets out TO make /
friends-and usually succeeds he /
succeeded with Lloyd George, and TO !
the close union between these two
men which followed their first meet !
ing in London can be attributed the
smooth course Of the peace confer /
ence in later months. Mr.. Wilson I
talked freely and frankly. The Brit I
ish prime minister satisfied himself
that many of the things which the I
president had been reported as going /
to Europe to dictate we're not inflex- l
ible determinations with him at all; /
that he appeared ready and willing I
to hear the other side and be con- 4
CIemenceau HHnrd Customer
The president and premier Clemen- I
ceau haven't had such smooth sail /
ing. They are personally very re-
spectful to each other and one can
discern much admiration on the part 4
OF AIr. Wilson for the sturdy person ]
ality OF the grand old man" OF
France At the same time. the whim-
sicial turns which NJ Clemeuceau Will 4
occasionally give to matters under
and his fidelity to what
might be called the old school OF di-
plOmacy cause many a moment OF 1r-
The French premier is a mas
ter politician and a dominating figure.
One cannot help liking his abrupt 4
and his decisiveness. But II is /
clear that he imagines that, because
America went 10 the aid Of France
in the war against Germany, the 4
United States has fully committed !
herself TO all the implications OF /
partnership IN European affairs, that
financially. economically. and other
wise she is ready TO take an active
part in European politics.
President And Battlefield.
From the moment Nj. Wilson got
off the train at Paris the French Of
ficials began talking TO him about a 1
visit 10 the devastated areas The
French imagined that Mr.. Wilson /
either knew nothing about the de-
struction or that he wasn't mad (
enough over It or that II he saw the 4
stricken cities and towns he would 4
become very Wrathful and give all
his time to the calculation Of an in
demnity. I rather fancy that the in
cliuatiOn to have the battlefields I
forced upon him rather offended Mr..
Wilson. Certainly he chose his own
time TO make the trip and he only
spent a day there. Everybody ought I
hn##HnNHnHnu rrN nj
get an idea OF the destruction which .
has been wrought there, but the pres
ident evidently got the same impress
sion as pI -mier Lloyd George, who 4
declared that the ruins seemed TO him
to be proof Of the fact that civiliza-
ton had thus far invented no other
way 10 settle disputes between na-
tons and that league Of nations
was the primary requisite Of the age.
Mr.. Wilson's difficulties with the
French methods OF diplomacy were
known TO correspondents generally
Many a reflection Of the feeling OF
irritation that prevailed every now
and then at the supreme peace council
zane TO the men writing about the
conference. But Il was not always
possible to learn whether personal in
compatibility or lack Of knowledge
IN either side OF the true French OF
American viewpoints caused the dis
sensiOn- Certainly IL was a surprise
10 most Of the men who went to Paris
10 write about the conference to find
hat France, with which tley had eX-
oected the United States to be in inti-
nate and friendly contact, was more
often apart than in agreement with
US on questions involved in the settle
nent.
Italian Premier Is LfkenbIe.
OF premier Orlando much might be
written He is a very Hkable man
The president got along spIendidly
with him and he. in turn, always
seemed TO carry away a good impress
sion Of Mr.. Wilson. But the power be-
hind ths throne in Italy is baron Son
lino, the foreign minister. It is Son
1inO with whom both British and
Americans frequently get out Of pa
-ience, referring TO him as the Mach
avelH Of Europe. There were one
Dr. two little incidents on the Wilson
journey to Italy which Indicated that
baron Sonnino wasn't very anxious TO
have the Italian people get too close
10 president Wilson. But the pres
sure OF the people was irresistible,
and one Il the finest things about the
Wilson jOurnC- TO Europe was the
demonstration Of friendship for Amer
lea which the plain people OF Italy
The Ipanese delegates are the
OF the conference. They say
least and interfere less in what is go