Evening star., 1919-04-23

press constitutes really and truly to-
day the channel Of communication
which conveys to those above the
Impressions from below. and to those
below the difficulties encountered by
and the patriotic warnings of those
above.
"As long as that channel of COM
munication Is kept clear and clean
the press Is using nobly the power
that destiny has thrown into it's
hands.
Influence Of Associated Press.
''The Associated Press has done
perhaps more than any other human
agency to keep it clean and clear.
The news 1t spreads throughout the
world is unbiased; 1t flows in every
direction as crystalline waters
springing from the purest fountain.
This institution, the Associated Press.
has. to my mind, raised the profession
Of journalism to a high moral level
in which it begins to lose the appear
ance Of a trade and to shine with the
light Of a priesthood.
THE Associated Press has just
come through a test, perhaps the most
severe that 1t has ever to undergo, in
these four and a half years in which
the quality OF every institution and
perhaps the quality of every single
individual has been tested. Ancient
empires have fallen. crowns and
thrones have crumbied. systems of
government have disappeared. showing
their dangers and immoralities. and
even the machinery Of international in
tercourse has had to go under repair.
Yet the Associated Press has stood
the test, and stood 1t we'll. 1t has to-
day. as it had before the war, the re-
to understand it. There are things
which cannot die. The worship of
truth is one of them.
And from the standpoint of Chilean
Journalism, let me say that 1t has
Joined the Associated Press because 1t
embodies its own ideals, and. above all.
because they feel that new tie, and
. very powerful one, has been created
in the ever-growing friendship OF the
Chilean and American people,.
Mr.. Stones Address.
Mr.. Stone spoke Of the peace con-
ference leaders, many of whom. ne
said. it had been his privilege to
meet. He described some of the char
acteristics of Premiers Lloyd George,
Clemenceau. Venizelos and Hughes.
OF Clemenceau. whom he had known
for forty years, he said:
when ] went over there first, In
June, I went up to see him one day,
and said: Well. you speak English as
we'll as you did forty years ago He
said: I don't speak English. I speak
American
when I was in Italy. the italian
government was very anxious. to have
some American troops as reserves.
and they felt that 1t was very Sc
rious condition. If the Caporetto de-
bacle were repeated and the Austrians
would be out Of the war, and Gen.
Diaz was most anxious about the sit
uation. He went up to see Foch and
Pershing, and they could not see their
way clear to give him any American
troops.
Then he went to see Clemenceau.
and said: Now the situation is very
serious down there. 1t Is a great mis-
take to imagine that the Austrians
are not good soldiers. They are veri-
table lions. They have more artillery
than we have. and we are in grave
"Clemenceau, in his sententious way.
said: That is a military question
can't answer. You will have to see
Foch.' He had already seen Foch.
and .he would not do 1t. About three
weeks after, the French captured 5000
Austrians on the French front and
Giemeneeau telegraphed; MY dear
Austrian lions as prisoners. What
shall we do with them? Yours affec-
tionately. The Tiger"
Referring to the peace conferences
and to affairs in Europe, Mr. Stone
said:
1T is a mistake to imagine that
there has been on the part Of the five
great powers represented at the con
ferencs an angry or an unpleasant
situation. I think may say-because
I have known we'll those who have
participated in it-that they have
brought to- this work a sincere, ear
nest desire to solve a great problem
Germany's Worst Ofense.
"They feel that, after alIyFthe worst
offense of the Germans was not the
killing of something like seven mil
lion young men, fine young men OF
Europe and America, including those
Of Germany and Austria itself; nor
the wanton murder of innocent
women and children by aeroplane and
submarine. At least the dead are at
peace. The worst offense of the Ger
mans was. in creating a world in
which it is almost impossible for the
living to survive.
"And that being the case, the con-
fereeS had to address, than Selvea uof