The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-15
PAST CRISIS AND
STEPS TAKENFOR
PEACE REVIEWED
Continued from First PaEs.0

involved IN the league OF nations
during Mr.. Wilson's absence many. II
not all, OF the commissions completed
their labors aud prepared their reports;
a program for dlsposing OF practically
az material matters was In hand when
MT. Wilson returned. IL was expected
that without further debate over the
league Of nations, the conference would
turn ttS attention to disposing Of ma
tertal questions, the league OF nations
having been accepted in prinrinle md
a provisional covenant having bean
presented. Europe expected early IN
March that with no further long de-
lays, preliminary peace would be made
with Germany without further discus.
sion OF the league OF nations, until ell
questions were finally considered and
disposed Of,
Breaks Up Plans.
Immediately upon his arrival in Ei-
rope Mr.. Wilson destroyed this program
which had been accepted In behalf OF
America by Col. House, and insisted
that the league OF nations covenant
should be revised and included In the
preliminary treaty Of peace with Ger
many. The result was the total col
lapse Of the program which had been
prepared, and a very general protest
among the European nations which
amounted TO nothing because the Eng
Ilsh once more stood squarely behind
Mr.. Wilson.
But while this confusion resulting
from the upsetting Of the program was
still a substantial circumstance, Boil
shevism occupied Hungary and began
Its march to the Black sea, Moreover,
1t became very clear that following the
example OF Hungary, Germany was
contemplating refusal to sign the
treaty Of peace, which had been prao-
tieally formulated during the presl-
dents absence, and would offer passive
resistance to Its enforcement,
There was a panic. In this panic
there we're signs which seemed to indi-
cate that Lloyd George and Mr., Wilson
were agreed In a policy which served to
sketched so far as Germany was con
cerned, in the hope Of persuading Ger
many to sign, An official commission
was sent TO Hungary and semloffiolal
or unofficial delegates were dispatched
TO Russia, with the apparent purpose OF
seeking to find a basis for peace be
tween Bolshevlsm and the alliance rep
resented At Paris.
The result was almost instantaneous,
The French had not yet received the
Judgment Of the peace conference on
any ono Of the great questions which
were a matter Of life and death, There
was settlement of the Rhine frontier
as a military question. OF the saar coal
region az an economic question, of In
IDENTITIES and reparations as n finan-
cial question and, rightly or wrongly,
the French concluded that their inter
ests were being sacrificed now both Nv
America and by Britain to tho desire
to get a prompt peace with ne oet-
mans and to effect at least a truce
with Bolshevism. AS a result, there
was immediate and inconceiVably
strong French reaction and protest, A
bitterness against both the United
States and Great Britain which grew
out Of the feeling that France, after
her terrible sacrifices, was being abRn-
doned. French unrest reacted almost
Immediately In Great Britain. Lloyd
George had come TO power once more
In the recent election In which he had
pledged himself to make a strong peace
against Germany. by which Germany
would be made to pay the costs OF the
war. British conservative members
of parliament, British conservative
journals and at least a very large SEQ
ton of British public opinion, now be-
lieved that Lloyd George was engaged
In making an easy peace for Germany
which would let Germany escape from
paying the costs of the war: and they
recognized that as a result OF the
progress, of events IN Paris, France was
rapidly becoming alienated from Great
Britain and the alliance which had
saved the world from G%ermanism was
cracking
Thereupon there was an Immediate
storm in Great Britain and every sort
OF emphatic notice m to Lloyd
George in Paris that he must change
hip policy, that he must restore the
understanding between Great Britain
and France by supporting French
cls inns, and that he must drop ven
the appearance Of willingness to deal
with B%olshevism. TO this storm Lloyd
George bowed. He had been carrying
on a bitter and unwise quarrel with
the French journalists. which had cul-
minated in q threat to take the confer.
ence away from Paris. Almost over
night he shifted his course, began issu-
ing interviews praising France and pro-
calming British solidity with France.
advocating. In the council Of four,
French demands which he had hitherto
looked upon at least coldly.
| In tho meantime in France similar