Evening star., 1919-06-22

tnan tne American
to his own country after six months
spent in the atmosphere Of Europe and
in immediate contact with the facts OF
-the peace conference. At home a mighty
controversy is plainly raging over the
provisional settlements and permanent
unsettlements of the Paris conference.
So far the situation is identical with
that in the French capital, but while
in France the argument centers about
one set; of circumstances. In America
the things debated are totally different.
In word, the peace discussion in the
two hemispheres' is about wholly dis
similar questions carried on in an utter
ly dissimilar fashion.
And at the outset of any examination
of this difference 1t Is essential to note
the primary fact. In the United States
debate still centers about the league of
nations; in Europe-outside the circle Of
Americans closely associated with the
President-the league of nations has
ceased to- occupy attention. provoke dis
cussen-to put it quite bluntly, 1t has
ceased to exist. Instead, the thing con-
sdered is the future association of
France, Great Britain and the United
States In an alliance which will per-
petuate the present association in Paris
and preserve world order and peace.
Europe's View of League.
There Is another fact that it is equally
necessary to emphasize. and that is that
there never was, save for one brief
emotional moment coinciding with the
Presidents arrival in Europe on his first
trip. any real belief in the league of
nations in Europe During that moment
masses Of people, suddenly relieved from
the immediate agonies of the conflict.
still broken with their suffering, looked
to the President as a man from another
world come to perform miracles, trans
form empires, abolish age-long rivalries.
In the reaction from the horror Of the
war, men and women turned with
strange moving of utterly transitory
faith to the President of the United
But this moment passed almost in
stantly. If the British French and
Italian people were for a moment trans
ported out of themselves. they quite as
suddenly returned to their normal con-
dition. If the British people desired
permanent peace they did not in the
ieast subscribe to the idea that they
themselves and not the Germans should
pay for the war, for the +wanton de-
people were not willing that the Ger
trans should re- establish themselves in
their old colohies along British water
yays-that German ships should replace
British ships sunk by submarines. -
As for the French people, they knew
that the sole hope Of French safety hay
Hn compelling the Germans to repay for.
devastation and they. first demanded
that military protection should be gained
with victory. Italy. iafthe same fashion,
resolved to build her future along the
Adriatfc. Europe was from the outset
resolved upon a European settlement.
Only, America, with small losses, set OF
BY enormous economic gains. would ever
thinksof q peace of conciliation.
And 30 from the very outset an
American and a European idea were in
conflict President Wilson came to Eu-'
rope to promote a peace OF concihation,
Be perpetuated by his league Of nations,
which was to make war impossible in
the future. Europe-the allles-were
equally resolved upon a peace which
sible. repair their losses and heal their
gaping wounds. II Americas fdealistic
experiment. was possible. AHke m view
Or our history anabs otsfpporary
lOT Euf0pc was IEhpOSSlDfS
aiike because Of traditions and immedi-s
ate circumstances. ~:
Different Diplomatic Methods. :
But given the essential facts. the
diplomacy OF the great powefS-Britain,
France and Italy-deaft with the Ameri-
can proposal in totally different fash
British on their part. with supreme good
sense. elected not to oppose Mr.. Wilson,
but to associate themselves with pro-
posal recognized by most Of them TO be
decidedly impractical. and gain thereby
closer friendship with the United States.
The Ffsncb honestly but moderately
proclaimed their lack ef faith in the
Nllsonian doctrine While the Italians
upon such national BENEFITS az they had
material Chains upon.
The result wan Inevitable. In the
briefest time the British and American
Representatives In Paris were working
in closest harmony. Cecil. Smuts and
Ealf dozen other British and colonial
representatives were framing the cove
nant Of the league of nations. while be-
tween the French and American repre-
sentatiyee there was In existence and
between the italian and American rep
resentatives there was growing up an
eStrangeme9if which shortly endangered
the peace Of the world.
Now. in all this situation which re-
suited in the greatest diplomatic triumph
In all British history. IL is very hard to
separate accident from design. l do not
believe it is true, as is frequently urged,
that the British undertook to deceive or
manipulate the President and the Aneri-
can representatives. They did not he.
lieye in the league of nations any more
than the French. but they saw what
the French failed to see, that friendly
and sympathetic association with the
President promised to pave the way to
something eminently desrable-namely,
permanent Anglo-American alliance
IN fact. II not on paper.
They saw with equal clarity two other
things: they saw that there was very
real likelihood that championship OF the
Presidents ideas would remove the pos
sibility OF q clash over such issues as
session Of the German colonies. Henry
" once said of his change OF religion
that France was worth a mass" and
British craftsmanship with equal vision
recognised that American friendship, ac-
cepting the President as representative
OF America, was worth any amount of
sympathy and aid to the President in
furthering = plan which. whether prac-
teal or not, was without peril to British
interests and had an appeal to certain
elements IN the British population.
Change In America Seen.
The other thing the British saw with
the greatest clearness was that the war
had changed the position Of America.
Britain, victorious though she was,
had been crippled financially and eco-
nomically; recovery, II certain. would be
slow; America was a potential rival
certain TO occupy something Of Britain