The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-08
Danger Turks in
Secret Diplomacy
French Socialist Leader Won
ders if Countrymen, Despite
Trials Of 1871, Still Are Not
Imperialistic.
by ALBERT THOMAS.
(Fercnch Socialist Leader and Former
Minister of Munitions.l

minister or MUNITIONS
I Paris March Are the French
/ imperialists2 In his messages Presf-
dent Wilson has often condemned Sc
Great diplomacy. The democrats of
| Europe hope with him that the world
/ is done with peace treaties by which
irresponsible rulers pledge their peo-
pies to obligations OF which these peo-
! pies know nothing. There will be no
more secret treaties Everybody IL
agreed on that point.
| But perhaps II was necessary 10 60
/ still further. To suppress secret d.
, plomacy is fine. There in another
danger: 1t is the secrecy of diplomacy.
Indeed, In diplomacy. as in Industrial
affairs, some discretion is necessary.
, II would be imprudent and often dan
gerous 10 launch before the open eyes
| of an unwarned public some new, in
genious. startling attempt at a soiu-
! ton Of a certain problem the success
of which will be spoiled If thus an
nounced without preparation.
| fndeed.t we admit that in order 10
| forestali some wicked stroke by the
/ enemy of yesterday. 1t is wiser not 10
give forthwith publicity to the terms
J which ought to be our common guar
antees. But it is possible that. being
where we are. when the diplomats are
gathered for a peace conference, pub
! lie opinion In countries such as France
and England should he informed of
the demands presented by their repre-
sentatives.
| Otherwise IT Is likely that the diplo-
mats carry in the secrecy of their
minds terms apd national demands
truly rsor~s~ .f,sss~erfui than II these
terms had been examined and dis
GUESSED and finally accepted or rejected
J by united public opinion.
TOO MUCH INFERENCE.
/ II is to this procedure that undeni-
( ably Is due half of the moral diseom-
! fort which weighs at the present mo-
! ment upon the peoples OF western Eu-
rope. As nothing-or almost nothing
leaks out from the sessions of the
peace conference: as public opinion
! learns only that certain sub-commit-
tee has met and that another will
meet; that a third is delayed or that
reports have been filed containing
I questions proposed"--in short. as
nothing definite is known. many
things are supposed and implied and
( inferred.
/ And under cover of this mysterious
I silence rumors circulate. DO you
know" says somebody. that Presi-
dent Wilson Aft Enrone irritated and
eXasperated; that he has no further
confidence In the French govern
mentr"
DO you know savs another. that
the Americans, who were our devoted
and eager friends. today turn from,
us and contract close alliance with
the English
DO you know says n third--but,
really, nobody knows anything, Tho
worst of 1t all Ia that the press is
equally in the dark RS the public at
z To 5N,, tuta nc
read the French newspapers. or
French journalists who read the
American organs. seek To form their
opinion or one another on the basis
Of what they read, and thus there
arise, II not actual misunderstanding
at least apprehensions and worries
which are not without i'll conse-
| quences.
II Is in this manner that many
American newspaper men among my
colleagues who follow with eager at
peace negotiations at the hand OF the
French press, have felt able TO con-
clude from these French newspapers
that France is tormented with annex
atfonist ambitions and possessed with
a spirit Of Imperialism
| How could they have concluded
otherwise! Every day they read arti-
cles on the necessity OF annexinR the
saarhas,n. on the occupation of the
left bank of the Rhine and on guar
antees required even regarding the
right bank. They read likewise of in
IDENTITIES to be asked from Germany
and read frantically ,exactins state
rnents on this score.
SO they ask with concern whether
The French people are not still. after
over a century and despite the triale
OF 1871, the imperialistic people which
ton followed Napoleon on the path of
! conquest Of Europe.
Some even go so far back as to ask
whether Bismarck, despite the coarse
ness of his means and the iniquity of
! his ways, was not to some degree
right when he denounced us as a peo-
pie restless and vain and constantly
ready to upset the continental peace.
| Finally. when these same journal
lists peruse the lamentations OF my
socialist friends and when they hear
our public speakers denounce the "fm-
perialism OF our rulers" they are fur
ither strengthened In their impressions.
Perhaps also when they take their
daily walk between their hotels and
the CrjlIon. where the American COM
n;ssioners reside, they sec on the
Paris walls some poster Of some civic
league or commemorative aaaocia ton
which persists in urging tho French
ito hate the boches vigorously and to
beware of them.'
4 I should like to warn our American
friends against such impressions. and
will take the. liberty OF discussing the
subject in detail In my next ArtiolA
, r. !. - &.