The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-26
Head of Associated Press, Just
Back from Paris, Expresses
Opinion
DiFFICULT PROBLEMS
HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED
Nations of World Find in Pro
posed League Best Guarantee
Of Permanent Peace

accomplish its object CT insuring world
peace. Melville +. Stone, general man
acer of the Associated Press, recently
tod the members Of news associ;i-
ton at the annual meeting al luncheon
here today.
Mr.. Stone doubted if anybody knew
whether the league project would sue
cced. but said the representatives OF
the associated powers had addressed
themselves 10 the formation Of an or
ganization. intended if possible, 20 pre-
vent a recurrence Of war. which he
said had reached a point, through the
advance OF science, where a future
conflict would we'll nigh mean human
annihiation.
BY the modern process Of intercom-
munication, however, the nations were
inevitably brought closer together, he
said. extending mems visions and Civ
ing a little promise" that the failure
of the congress OF Vienna, 100 years
ago might be followed by something
like success
1t was q mistake, Mr.. Stone said, to
imagine that there had been an un-
pleasant or angry situation between
the peace ENJOYS of the associated
powers, VINO had brought to their task
1 sincere desire to solve a great prob
lem Despite the German hopes of DIFF
ference among the concillors. he add
ed they had agreed to principle.
Describing u visit 10 the devastated
regions OF France. Mr.. Stone declared
ii had boon torn by II most malisn
and OUTRAGEOUS savaa the world
had ever known" To bring about its
rehabilitation he asserted, extension
Of long time credits by American
manufacture was eSential a
schenle which he said could he car
ried cut through the banks with the
federal reserve system TO fall back
upon in case of emergency.
In keeping with the Pan-Am erican
spirit of the meeting. inspired oy the
recent addition OF p South American
newspapers to the Associated Press
{ membership. MI Stone stated that
, this extension OF the service gave as
surancc OF the ability o. the Western
! hemisphere. In like manner in earlier
days, he said. the organization had
been a material factor in cementinG
the relations Of the Northern and
Southern sections of the United States,
Il union which made possible the ma
! tional spirit evidenced in the Spanish
American War and reemphasiZed in
the world conflict
Mr.. Stone spoke Of the peace con-
ference leaders, many Of whom, he
- l..
meet He described some Of the char
acteristics Of Premiers Lloyd George.
Clemcnceau. Venizelos nd Hughes.
OF Clemencaau. whom ne had known
for 40 years. he said:
When l went over there. first in
June I went up to see him one day
and said We'll, you speak English as
we'll as you did 10 years ago. He
said: I don't speak English, l speak
American
When I was in Italy, the Italian
government w very anxious to have
some American troops as reserves
and they felt that it was a very Sc
riouS condition. II the Caporyetto dc
haclc were repeated and the Aus
L u
ip, Italy would be out Of the war
and General Diaz was most anxious
about the situation. He went up TO
see Foch and PershinS and they could
not see ;heir way clear to give him
any American troops.
Then he went to see Clemencelu
and said: Now the situation is vcr;-
serious down there. 1t is Il 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
danger Of their breaking through.
"Clemcnce;Iu in his sententious way
81 id: That IS a military question |
can't answer. You will have to see
Foch
He had already seen Toch and he
would not do it. About three weeks
after. the French captured 1000 Aus
TRANS on the French front and Glenn
cnceau telcgra phed: My dear Diaz:
We have taken 1000 of your Aus
ti'ian lions us prisoners. What shall!
we do with them? Yours affectionate-
~ The 'riger.
f.cic:GlnG 10 the peace conference
and to ;dIaii.s in Europe Mr.. Stone
S;ti |:
1T is Il mistake TO imagine that
there has been on the part Of the
FIVE great powers represented at the
ant' angry or an unplcas ,
an: situation. | think | may SAY
because h:ve known we'll those
who have participated in it-that
they have brought to the work :;
earnest desire to solve :.
great problem.
They feel that after all the worst :
,ffcnsc of tn" Germans was not the
Killing OF something like 7.o0o.o0o
.ounS men fine voting men OF Er
.opc and Amcrica including those 6.
;crnlHny and Austria itself: nor the {
vHntom murder Of innocent women I
ma children by aeroplanc and subma- {
inc Al Least tho dead are at peace. |
lhc worst offenSe OF the Germans was :
n creating n world in which ii is al
most Impossible Tor the LIVING 20 STIR {
i've. &c
f.,