The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-17
CALL TO GERMANS
DRAWN BY WILSON


France that he would see that the
treaty was enforced, even by the
armed forces Of America, but he could
not bind future administrations &c
nny policy unless 1t was. put In tho
treaty and ratified.
The sudden ana complete change II
the attitude OF the French newspaper
IL the most significant feature Of thu
situation, emphasizing from thu
French viewpoint the importance o.
the assurances which President VII
son gave on Sunday to Premier Gle
menceau. summarized. these seem t.
have been the developments In the
situation leading UP to the commune
cation 20 the French Premier: .'.
1. Demand Of the French for the
annexation Of territory on. the
French side Of the Rhine as n pro-
lection to France, which President
Wilson and Premier Lloyd George
opposed from the first. 80.
2. A compromise by which the
French agreed that this territory
should be erected into a neutral
buffer State similar 10 Belgium.
This suggestion at one time seems
to have met with some favor from
the Americans, undergoing some
modification, such a. provision
for a plebiscite. but finally was
abandoned completely following the
Hungarian revolution. the Presi-
dent evidently coming to the con-
clusion that IL would violate the
self-determination point and Lloyd
George feeling that Il would GER
tainly create q German irridenta.
3. A suggestion of complete de-
militarization made by the Presi-
dent and Premier Lloyd George In
lieu Of other plans. which provoked
the French and led to q virtual I'LL
timatum by Marshal Foch that
France would be unprotected,
coupled with a threat that he
would resign before he would order
French troops to leave the Rhine.
4. A violent campaign in the
French newspaper against the in
security that the Allies would i'm
pose upon France, condemning the
League Of Nations as inadequate
to furnish the necessary security
and demanding that the United
states. Great Britain and France
form an alliance for the enforce
ment of the terms OF the treaty,
otherwise France must insist upon
her original demands.
g. Sudden announcement by Pre-
mier Clemenoeau that all difficult
ties had been cleared away and
that France had received with sat
isfaction certain assurances. This
was confirmed In American circles
to the extent Of admitting that as
surances had been given to Gle
menceau which had satisfied him.
OF which the details were not dis
closed. coupled with an announce
ment that the plan for demilitar-
ization had been agreed upon.
II EuloEistic Articles Appear.
Following this came the change in
the French newspapers, many Of
which had been printing attacks
against President Wilson and Premier
Lloyd George for leaving upon France
the burden OF exacting the carrying
out Of the treaty by Germany and con-
critical articles in general on
the peace negotiations. Now the pa
pers are printing eulogistic articles
upon President Wilson, saying that he
has been misrepresehted.
The most significant article that has
appeared lie by Marcel Hutin in the
Echo dc Pdris in the form Of an inter-
view With a high parsonage. which be-
cause Of the writer's relations with
Premier Clemenceau is believed to
have been the latter He says:
''One must now give full homage to
President Wilson. Never has the En-
tente between France and America
been closer and this is due to the spirit
of equity and high loyalty OF the
American President. Yes, France has
received full satisfaction. It is not
only the complete integrity OF France
hat Is guaranteed by the accord
but the Entente is for the
'uture closer. more intimate and more
cordial than II has ever been between
he sons OF the French revolution and
a.