The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-04-05
4'TIcER" FIRM
That FOE MUST
PAY.To LIMIT
No Weakening in Demand
for French Rights
By II. Wickham Steed.
tIopdon Times Cable Copyright, l'iS, h'
iIn nnhllr Lnlgef COmpany.l

UoBjon Times Chulr' copyrlsh', wv Wy
i've Public Ledger Company
PARIS, April 5. -- For the second
time since the attempt on is lite, !
last righ, saw Premier Clemeneeau
During the last fortnight Paris hfs
been iull OF runor, spread not with.
out guile. TO the effect that the "Old
Tiger" was losing his grip on things
ard that the defense OF French rights
nigh, need TO be entrusted TO more
vigorous hands.
/ found no trace of any lack OF vi
,ality in him nor sign OF ialterng' On
the ether hand, his face wore am cN-
yrcssior oi sadness such aS ! nave
never noticed before A feeling that
his colleagues in the Council OF -Four
are gong astfay, that their lnexpllc-
able reluctance to face rcSolutely IS
sue, daily growing more acute IS
tending TO ieopardizc the whole work
OF peace and his own determination
10 do his duty TO his country at all
costs are undoubtedly the chiei
causes Of this expires son which can
only describe as tragic.
No Politics There.
Af,er all NJ. Clcmenceau is the only
man IN the Council Of -Four who can
no, by any flight Of imagination be
accused OF political seli-seekng'
Whatever criticism of him there may
be in France, is due chiefly to the
belief tina, he has been too remissive,
rather than too self-assertive. A deep.
touching love of country has inspired
him. But were he once to say that he
can 20 no further in compromise
either with an intractable theology or
with short-sigh,ed opportunism that
would sacniice the future for the sake
Of monentary escape from embar-
rassnent all France would believe
him.
During the conference, NJ. Glenn
enceau and the French delegates have
undoubtedly made mistakes but they
have not been mistakes OF cowardice
or pcdantry. Sometimes they have
seemed to proceed from . sort ot ma
t;onal shell shock from which France
ha, been unqucstionably and compre-
hensibly suffering. But they have,no'
been comparable to the mistakes COM
mitted in other quarters, nor have
they been inspired by the selfish in
difference TO. small nations and the
fundamental pos,ulate ot European
security tina, has been far to apparent
among the delegations OF some OF The
other great powers.
Hurs Four Flushing.
The French have refused to have
anuhing to do with the present Dol
she,is, regime and decline to recog
nile in Germany today heart-peni
ten. country. In this attitude the,
feel the have not received the supper
fIom their British and American
friends.
The French have a special reason
for knowing German mentality tt
them. 1t is idle to talk of reducing
the physical bulwarks OF French Sc
ouri,y on'a plea that it is unwise tt
encourage any spirit of revenge II
the German heart. The hymn of hat,
which all Germany chanted with sue
glee is already in German hearts find
ing echo in hymn of revenge. Ih'
apparent inability of British ''ant
American statesmen to realize the nee
essi,y of strengthening the frencl
frontiers in the iirmest possible man
ner, has grieved the French yer,
deeply. but they are not without hop
that in the course Of the next few
days, the Just demands Of France Il
be enabled properly TO protect her
self against invasion will be agreed
to by the Council of -Four, who's
proceedings at present moment ar
followed with apprehcnsive anxiety.