Evening star., 1919-03-19

I'd upon as usual to make whatever
material sacrifice was necessary, have
made it with the utmost prompti-
tnde.
The French sacrifice was twofold;
khey had been promised that before
would settle the question of their
eastern frontier, and they believed II
would give them at least a start In
the direction of financial reparation.
3 I do not understand that there is
{ as yet any question that the actuai
terms of what was to have been
+ preliminary treaty of peace have been
challenged by Mr.. Wilson. 1t may well
be that atLloyd George and Clemenceau In
conference with the President reached
an agreement that postponement
would not bring any such challenge,
but this remains to be disclosed IN
ahe future.
Supposed He Was in Accord.
1t would be inaccurate to say that
Mr. Wilson has won new victory,
because he encountered no OPPOSE
ton, nor was there any thought on
the part of either French or British 10
make even an indirect proposal TO re-
publican opposition in America.
The truth is that the British ana
French up to the moment OF lHe
Presidents arrival believed that ne
was in accord with what was oeins
done. Once this was rather surprls-
inyIv disclosed to be a mistake. they
promptIy changed their plans to suit
his desires
There is no gainsaying the. fact
that the change may bring real anu
widespread disappointment IN Europe'
The desire for some sort OF pre-,
liminary arrangement which shouio
at least make a real beginning IN
peace conditions and make it prompt
ly was almost incalculable.
But if the desire is universal. recos-
milton of the necessity of preserving
the good will of America IS quite as
generally existent; neither LLOYD IeoIse
nor Clemenceau could afford to MAKE Is
sue over question in whlch tne .f.aa
dent of the United States manifested
an innexible determination 10 press
his own policy.
Believe q. S. Will Is Expressed.
Nor is it wise to conclude that be
rsuse there will be general dlsap-
Dointment if there is further oe-
iay there will be enduring resen,-
ment on the contrary, the WnoIe
episode illustrates what nave 50
often attempted to explain IN my oiS.
matches namely, the conVlctlon III
Europe that at all costs Amerlcah
wishes should be compiiIn p.asi
Ient of the United States speaks the
will of America. +h.
desire in Europe for g. proinpt ar
rangement that not rev oeirensa
the Presidents course might @ouse
actual opposition
Assumes Prestige Is Enhanced.
Whom no opposition materialized. 1t
g-as recognized that Mr.. Wilson had
resumed the position which he occu-
MED at the outset, that his prestlSe
had been enhanced rather than oe-
creased by the events of his Amerl-
can visit.
Now comes a great question: How
long is postponement of the prellm.
inary peace treaty to be expecteo:
/ am told by the American spokesinen
that the league of nations coVenant
can be in shape on Thursday ana that
the whole treaty can be ready for the
Germans on April l.
May l Set by Some.
am told in certain other quarters
mat it will be May before the pre-
1imiuary treaty is ready. If the treaty
is ready by April I, the delay Will De
slight, although it will at least mo,
mentarily interrupt British and
French demobilization. which cannot
go much further until Germany Is
If there be no treaty before May. 1t
will mean defeFFing European hopes
for at least five weeks.
One important circumstance is the
future course of Lloyd George. He
was to go to England at the end OF
this week: his presence there was
required by conditions growing out
of the miners strike. If he goes
decisions will necessarily wait upon
his return. But at least among Ameri-
cans there Is great hope and some ex-
Dec4ation that he will stay on
In sum, the situation is this: Mr..
Wilson has upset a program. He and
his American associates are striving
desperately to pull the league Of ma
ffons covenant together SO that there
may be no actual delay in the pro-
seedlings as the result Of the change
IN program.
They hope that they will succeed;
ahey now declare that they expect to
succeed, but we cannot yet know
whether their hopes will be realized.
The best one can now say is that the
American commission expects pre-
Ntninary peace which in all impor--
4ant respects will be the final treaty
Iof peace to be signed by April z.
This treaty will contain the cove
nant OF the league of nationA and
no treaty or armistice without the
covenant is to be signed in the mean
time
Thus, Mr.. Wilson will make good
his declaration in his New York
speech ALI that Is problematical
now is how long the delay incident
To the change in program will be,
sand the American view is that it will
fbe inconsiderable.
! <eopyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspaper