The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-15
PAST CRISIS AND
STEPS TAKEN FOR
PEACE REVIEWED
SimondS, in Special Cable, At
temptS to Trace Many Dit-
tiCuItieS Overcome by Lead
ers Owing to Clash Of Ideas
BY FRANK n. SIMONDS
Special Gable Dispatch to The NeWs
ScImItAr,

PARIS, April l6.--The crisis which
the Paris conference passed through IN
the first two weeks OF April must be,
for the American audience far re-
moved from the actual circumAtances Of
European affairs, something VI mys-
terry, To present a picture OF thru crisis
from a distance is difficult, sindN the
American share In the making of peace
has become in America matter Of do
mestc politics and the simpleet mar
ration Of facts will be suspected Of
having political purpose. Yet the
truth is that In this period, and grow
ing out of the< <EuropeHn feeling with
rope, there was an untniatAkable re-
action, the consequences of which still
endure and will have d continuing ms
gluence insP Parls.e ~ Fasl
Very early In ms correspondence Z
pointed cut the emotion OF the British
ard French publics with respect to the
making Of peace, British sentiment as
1t s..ls then apparent was concentrated
upon making better basis Of under
standing with the United States for the
future and In taking advantage OF the
association OF our country with Eng
land In the war to insure permanent
friendliness and cooperation in the
world English statesmen came TO
Paris with the avowed purpose of CO.
operating with America and with the
American president, particularly In the
formation of the league of nations,
which was the main purpose In the mind
of Mr., Wilson. English policy, In Eu-
rope and out Of It, was to a degree at
least subordinated in the minds of Brit
utp pf Inn
for the future between the United
States and Great Britain.
French sentiment at tne same time,
while recognizing clearly the need Of
American support and placing just
and generous value on American aid
In the past and upon American under
standing In the future, was not less
fixed upon two vital problems for
France: security against Germany on
the north: against Germany In the fu-
ture, when she might be strong and
hostile and reparation for the devasta-
tion and destruction which Germany had
wrought in France during the war For
matter Of life and death, To them
all else was necessarily subordinated
Danger From Start.
There was danger from the very
start, therefore that as England and
America more ana more closely Coop
Grated In framing the league OF ma
tions, In devoting their time and effort
to the formation OF principles which
Mr.. Wilson had indicated without form
ulating, tho French would feel them
selves abandoned, their vital interests
fubordinated or ignored, and that there
would be In time bitterness, suspicion,
profound sadness and depression. II
was Inevitable that II the French felt
their great sacrifices In the war were
to leave them poorer and weaker, there
would be national protest and ma
tional resentment against both Great
Britain and the United States.
Now substantially what happened was
this: From the time the peace confer
ence opened until the departure Of the
president for the United States late in
February, the main business before the
conference was the covenant OF the
league of nations. Commissions were
appointed TO deal with ali boundary
and reparation questions. They pro-
ceeded to work their reports we're not
completed when Mr.. Wilson went homo
and It would be hardly fair to say that
up to this point the league of nations
had discussion of material questions
except as both British and French had
consented to lay aside material ques-
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