The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-02-10
Overcharging of Soldiers Is
Blamed on the American
Reputation Abroad d.
France Grateful to Amer
lea, Whose Power lnsures
World Freedom.

PARIS. Erb. 9:-,Wy the ,Asssocia,ed
Press l---'Whll" | have sand that shS
Il lull III the storm" said Georges Glenn
cncrau. the. French premier. IN the
course of an interview with the Asso-
ci;Itcd pr"SS today. AT least, he added.
1T is as we'll t. face Squarrly all the
possibilities
Although Germany had been beaten
miltarily and had been largely dis
armed. lh"r" still remained. the pre-
micr pointed out, - chaotic but fruit
fu RUSSIA from which great help may
hc drawn by the T"utonS." There would
b" danger. he thought. Of u ''reopcnlnE
Of the military debate If it were nor
,hhn ,hor 'wI whcIfver Fame or any other free
people was menaccd. the whole word
would be ready TO vlnd'catc its lib
crty.
yonng and formative days" said Pre-
micr Clcmcnccau in beginning. Per
haps. therefore. I may 10 indulgcd 10
say 4 few words to our allies on tho
other side, OF the Atlantic. not by
way OF advice or propaganda. but
frankly as friend to friend.
Beautiful Friendship.
The friendship between Lur peoples
which has subsisted for Il century and
like OF it has never existed for the
same length Of time between any other
Two peoples This cordiality. ccnsnted
by our contact during tho war. musl
endure in closer measure hereafter. TO
this end our minds must meet.
The entrance Of America into the
great war was full Of dramatic inter-
est. The application of nution-uide
,urbance, the universal sclf-dcnial 10
supply us with food and ali our re-
quiremcnts. the unity OF purpose and tn"
amazing energy o. llo,000.00O Of people
oho ~
challenged our admiration and gratitude
in such fashion us no one but ourselves
can know.
And the way tho American soldiers
liner. Inspired. by the .holicst ideals. /
may say TRANSPORTED. they entered upon
their tasks with all the determination.
all the fervor adj the spiritual purpose
work! France might have died. Snc
would not have surrcndcreu. But do
not mistake me- do not mean TO
minimize the Importance Of the Amerl-
can military aid, nor of the American
Red Cross, nor the Salvation Army. nor
any OF the helpful agencies. There
never has been in all The worlds his
tory SO perfect coordination of the
holy purpose of the righteous minded
inhabitants Of the earth.
And now the war is won. The world
is made safe for democracy. for life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Us
Jefferson said in the American Drclara-
tion Of Independence. And the future is
before us. What has it in store"
, L am told that some of these gallant
American soldiers who lived in trenches.
slept In dugouts and burrowcd in the
mud in devastated and war-torn France,
when they crossed tho Rhine and in an
undevaStatcd land found clean beds and
baths. rather regret that they fought on
the side Of freedom and would rather
have fought on tho side nfs,nurdcriES
Germans / do not believe il. am
! sure there Is no american soldier who
does not recognize that Franco, tho
| battlefield Of tho war could not give
him the comforts that Germany. ur-
devastated. was able to. l do not anu
will not believe so meanly of single
one Of the brilliant warriors who came
from the States 70 our aid in the great
struggle for civilization against saw
agery. 1t is incredible. 1t is the trag-
cdy OF the VT athat devastated France
could not give them the comforts that
unbrokcn Germany could.
II believe there Is some criticism
that there have been overcharges by
the French for food and other things.
Wen There are things to be sal dabOut
that. First. for many years the Ameri-
cans have hnen coming to Europe. and.
! with abundant means and great Ecner-
osty have bren spelling our people.
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