Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-14
Driving q Wedge Between France and
America

Through the mists Of the censor
ship concerning the peace conference
there has been appearing OF late an
unmistakable attempt to estrange
France and the United States. and
also to put France in the light OF
causing all the delays and deadlocks
in the proceedings. An elaborate ef-
fort has been made TO preserve the
first impression Of the French that
Mr.. Wilson did and does represent
the sent!men, Of the American people.
and that unless all his plans are car
ried out France will no longer count
the United States as her best friend.
On the other hand France Is &C
cused Of being reactionary and IN
periaiistic: if not an actual menace,
then an obstruction to the Ctoplan
ideals Of Mr.. Wilson. which he in
sists must be the basis Of peace.
AS a matter OF fact France wants
two things guaranteed by the peace
settlement: adequate reparation
and restitution for the destruction OF
the war.
$50 far as is humanity possible.
the assurance that such war will
not occur again.
The following statements from NJ.
LIE Charter. a prominent journalist
Of Paris, give voice to the sentiments
Of the French people as whole
toward Mr.. Wilson and the American
people:
ident Wilson is not as strong with
French opinion as he used TO be. ! am
revealing no secrets perhaps when
say that F'renchmen generally resented
the fact that he gave audience in the
first lew days of his visit to France
to NJ 41onguet. grandson Of Kari
Marx, and TO 81. Renaudel. another
prominent SOCIALIST. l consider them
bolshevists.
Then. too, Mr. Wilson did not show
any eagerness to visi, the battlehelds
or devastated regions of France. Many
of our people could not see how the
President could appreciate or under
stand our proposals until he saw the
real plight of France. 1t is true he has
since gone TO see the battle areas. but
the first impression in France al Mt.
Wilson's failure TO go to the devastat-
ed towns and villages before ne went TO
disa prominent. With a sentimental
people this point cannot be overesii-
mated.
Another thing to which attribute
much mDos.ansee e,o is '1 ps,s eamDs n
our more widely read newspapers. In
that newspaper prominence was con-
stantly given TO the speeches OF Repub-
licans in the United States and to the
Republican viewpoint,
The argument that Nr. Wilson did
not represent America. but only him
| self and his party. which had been beat
en- in the last elections, Impressed many
Of our people.
THE Presidents prestige with US be-
gan TO diminis.i in accordance as the
Republican criticism Of him in the SEN
ate grew. until when ! left Europe.
four weeks ago, it had reached a high
Republicans were to come into power.
| their views were important"
These expressions can pc DEPENDED
upon to represen, correctly the state
of mind Of the French. Deceived at
first by Mr.. Wilson as TO the true SEN
timents of Americans, it required the
| emphatic assurance of the Republicans
in the Senate and elsewhere to Offset
the anti-Amercan feeling that he had
| produced in Paris. 1t is gratifying to
know that the Republicans have been
successful in preserving among the
French the century-oId friendship that
, they have held for US.
! Likewise is devoives upon the Repuo-
1icans of the c1untry TO minimize as
! much as possible all attempts 10 turn
, Americans against the French on the
: ground that they are responsible for
/ the peace delays. II needs but perusal
of the history. thus far of the Paris
! conference. and the part played by the
! redoubtable Clemenceau therein. to
convince even the casual reader Of the
| utter falsity Of such charge. There
! can be no doubt that Wilson is in q
! desperate plight to retrieve the for
] tunes of himself and his league. but
the sacrifice of our amicable relations
| with the French is far too heavy a
price to pay for the reesta blishnlent of
! the reputation Of a discredited Presi-
dent. whose Misrepresentation of Amer
| lea can continue for less than two years
| longer at the most.