The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-23
PARIS PARIS: PRESS PRESS v
PEEvED OVER WHAT
It CLAIMS DELAY
Complains of Slow Prog
ress Made at the
Conference.
CAN'TUNDERSTAND
Fail to See Why Results
Do Not Make Them
selves Plain and
Clear.
CAN'T UNDERSTAND
BY Saboth HGiin.

press Is uneasy and worried, not
to say latently hostile to what IL
considers the slow progress being
made by the peace conference.
The capital press Ii ''pccvcd."
II has been complaining for many
weeks and even aet up a howl last
week when President Wilson
couldn't approve the proposed
military terms because he hadn't
then had, time to read them
II will be recalled that a month
or 80 ago American representa-
tiyes threatened to seek a new
home for the peace conference
unless Paris newspapers ceased
their carping criticism.
This is Paris. not Algeciras,
Knocks one paper. Another says;
Without a vigorous turn of the
steering wheel the council of powers
win lead us straight for disaster"
French writer's cannot understand
that the entente chiefs can meet in
full session only to reject the projects
supported by their own experts
Opposing Views
oyd-George suddenly took views
opposing those signed by Eyre Grove.
his own representative In the Polish
committee" says one paper. He could
have called Sir Grove at any time,
having only to cross the street"
aau1ois. a conservative with excel
lent relations with the French foreign
Office. says he was sure the delegates
had decided something big when he
saw them emerge from the CLOCK
hail." but was deeply disappointed to
learn that nothing had been concluded.
How comes it." he writes. that
statesmen possessing undeniahle au-
thorfty. competency and Intelligence
should hesitate to take the initiative
in the responsibilities expected OF
them. fear their pusilianimity liz
explained hY THAR bang stats~snen b.
fore negotiations ana consequently are
inclined to cnnsider decisions too
much from the viewpoint OF repercus-
sions for the opinion OF home public
or parliament. They are absorbed by
the disconcerting puzzle OF how to
construct a treaty satisfactory TO po-
i!ticai parties Of the rigidest demo-
cratic principles and also TO satisfy
the legitimate demands of victory and
OF national security.
The role OF the government Is
chiefly irreconcilabie with the plenf-
rotentiaries who believe that to be the
real trouble with the present system"
In other words. democracy cannot
make peace better than war.
While LLOYD George must consider
his home parties as heterogeneous
for him, President Wilson must put
through his fourteen points, and the
premier must face a victorsous nation
which wants security and reparation.
cartoon printed here shows a
poiiu banging at the conference door
with his wooden leg and saying: Il
want to ask them. yes or no-am 1
81 conQueror
other editors are less polite than
the royaitst Gaulois. They use the
word hegemony when describing vic
torious democracy in the act OF MAX
We stiil lack the solid project of
war indemnity" he writes. I'm a
purely demagogic manner Is this most
serious problem discussed in the al
tied countries.
TT is a veritabie scandal" says the
Echo de Paris. which adds that Presi-
dent Wilson insists upon including the
league OF nations in the first treaty
because American internal politics de-
mand It A partly censored Washing
ton cable dispatch to the same paper
declares that the Republicans are pre-
pairing to make a party issue of the
league Of nations.
The French conservative press is
generally unconvinced that the inclu-
sion OF the league in the first treaty
won't delay its signature. Even II
Germany signs. they say. such inclu-
sion viii delay ratification by the va
rious national parliaments, which. in
turn, will delay peace corresponding
ly.
But the axe cuts both ways. II Is
by making the American senators re-
sponsible for delaying peace that ad
vocates Of the junction of the league
and the peace treaty hope to force
through ratification. %, -
The radio message demanding that
the Poles and Ukrainians quit fighting
gets the jeers Of the French press,
which characterize II as a second Prin-
kipo.
The peacemakers 10. is far from a
happy one.
AS matter OF fact, the French are
barking up the wrong tree. The real
trouble il that there are too many
hands in the pie. Even the commit
tee of ten is too large. not to mention
the plenary sessions of seventy odd
delegates.
1t was In Colonel Houses parlor
in Paris, when Foch, Lloyd-George
and Clemenceau met. that the real
armistice terms were settled, not at
Versailles. And ii is in Colonel
Houses sitting room at the Hotel Grill
lon. when Wilson. Lloyd-George and
Clemenceau gather and talk good old
sI,uited States" that the real decis
ions are even now being reached