Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-01

Issue Between President VIII
son and French Premier
: Seen in Recent Speeches.
FRANCE SEEKS SECURITY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright By New FORK Evening Postl
LONDON, December 31.-President
Wilson had come here from the liberal
atmosphere of Manchester, where his
proclamation of Americas purpose to
onter into NO combination of powers
except one including all nations,
aroused tremendous enthusiasm, when
there stared him in the face the head
lines of the London newspapers chron-
telling Premier Clemenceau's speech in
the chamber of deputies in Paris tax
ing definite issue with Mr.. Wilson
and urging special alliance between
Great Britain, America, Italy and
France.
Mr.. Wilson has been repeatedly
emphasizing that the weakness of
the old system in Europe was the
balance OF power and alliances, but
Premier Clemenceau's frank. out
spoken avowal in favor of the old
system and urging the inclusion Of
America revealed the first discordant
, note of the Presidents trip to Europe.
Wilson-Clemenceau Conversations.
1t had been known that Mr.. Wilson
had engaged in earnest CONVERSE
lions with Premier Clemenceau en-
deavoring to convince him that the
soldiers of the allies had fought for
! the establishment of a new inter
national order. and when the French
~ al
Z that he was willing to test the plan
4 of league Of nations 1t was not gen.
3, orally assumed that he meant 1t as
4 supplementary to a special alliance
E between Great Britain. America,
9 France and Italy. Premier Clemen-
4 ceau is laboring under the belief
4 that American public opinion favors
alliances while Mr.. Wilson has been
ampressing the view that America
1 still stands by Washington's warn
4 the only covenant she will make will
4 he world alliance or league of ma
}tions.
j The French view as unfolded to me
Il IN high quarters is that the security
7of France must be guaranteed and the
Il fary and naval understandings of a
secret character as a reinforcement
FOR any league Of nations plan. This
Us directly controverted by Mr. Wilson.
Y WhV 0IBcS lHdt JcdlOu8lSS, COnpett>
tive interests, MISUNDERSTANDING
AAnd more war are bred that way.
England With President.
Unauestionably Great Britain will
stand by President Wilson in his doc
trine for league Of nations, and pub
.1ic opinion will not sanction secret
agreements or even special alliances
no long as America is not q party to
them. While admiration is heard here
lfor the candor Of Premier Clemenceau,
tnevertheless II is considered regret
liable by many Americans that he used
the phrase "America is far away and
I took time to come IN. Great Britain
responded Immediately to the call of
6nowledging this"
This has given the Impression that
1 the French premier was endeavoring
: TO measure Americas voice in the
.ehe had been in the war. This is not
! q new thought, as in some quarters
there already seems to be a distinct
tdinerence of attitude nowadays to.
Ward America, whose help ive months
ago was being extolled as the decisive
stroke Of the war.
Freedom Of the Seas.
Another unfortunate reference
which did not pass unnoticed was a
. quotation by Premier CIemenceau Of
= conversation with Mr.. Lloyd George
! wherein the latter, with respect 10
the aid Of the British feet, asked the
.Frenchman II he was disposed to do
something which would make it i'm
possible for England and France to
again impose a blockade. Premier
S cssmssr .,i in asking the French
preferred him a'At to ten ten T %r WILSON, hsse
that France would be ungrateful to
England, gives the impression that
the President was expected to request
something that would deprive Eng
land and her feet Of the power Of
blockade It 10 interesting to observe
sMr. Wilson'S categorical approval of
iFfem1er Ciemenceau's position az con-
1rming the view previously enunci-
a with the recent speech Of vIscount
2 Grey, who stated clearly the Ameri-
can position on freedom Of the seas
Nhen he said it contemplates unouaI-
,aned denial Of freedom Of the seas to
al countries which violated the cove
1ants and decisions Of Q league Of
nations
The view that America was trying
20 deprive Great Britain Of sea power.
when in fact she was merely endea-
,Soring to see written into law the
|rights of neutrals and belligerents SO
as no longer to be dependent on the
v arbitrary action of any one nation on
[ any particular occasion, must have
been in the minds Of the British and
French prime ministers at the time
of their conversation.
There Is good reason to believe that
this point has been cleared up since
INT. Wilson's visit to England This
begets speculation as to whether
other points upon which the leaders
Of Great Britain, France and Italy
agreed in their London conferences
IN advance Of Mr.. Wilson'S arrival
have not to some extent been nullined
Iby the frank presentation Of the
american Presidents point of view
Asince his arrival in London
Premier Clemenceau's speech gives
further evidence Of the remarkable
situation that confronts Mr.. Wilson
In endeavoring to get all the men,
bers Of the entente to feel rs enthusi-
astic about the practical application
or his principles as he does himself.
Undoubtedly the strongest support
will come from England, and it is
not unlikely that the two English
speaking democracies, with similar
language. ideals and standards. will
and themselves standing together in
the effort to convince France in a
special alliance the Wilson plan would
fail. But the likelihood Is that the
unanimous feeling in Great Britain
for league of nations will be tangi-
bly, expressed by its delegatfon at the
fpeace conference.
What Mr.. Wilson Must Show.