Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-09
SECRECY DECLARED
To BE SApPING LIFE
Of PEACE COUNCILS
British Authority Holds Only
Radical Cure for Ills of Con-
ference Is Publicity DeSper-
alton Is Being Felt.
BY James NJ. Tuohy.
Copyright, 1919, by the Press Publish
ing Co.
(The New York World,) }
Especial Gable Dispatch }


(The New York World)
Especial Gable Dispatch)
Paris, April S-The conference
barometer has fallen again, and TODAY
a feeling of desperation equalling il
intensity that which prevailed at the
end of last weel; is prevalent in Brit
ish and American quarters.
The only hopeful feature of the
situation is that the fatal conse,
quences of the system of secrecy are
being fully recognized. \ prominent
authority, one OF the British delega
ton, said to me today that the only
radical cue for the ills that are sap
ference is full publicity
Undoubtedly, the true reason the
conference is failing to settle the vita
questions under debate, is because il
lacks the backing of public opinion
which it would evoke If the peoples
concerned were informed of what is
happening instead of being kept in
ignorance which lends itself to every
form of misnformation and misun-
derStanding.
British misunderstanding.
For example, the notion is preva-
lent in England that Germany is be-
ing treated leniently by Premier Lloyd
George in the matter of reparation
and this under the influence of Presi-
dent Wilson, who is ignorantly sup
posed to feel special tenderness for
Germany. This delusion is directly
due to the fact that England never
has been told what the Germans ca
ntf fa ir- Il 81
Premier Lloyd George and President
Wilson, who know the facts realize
the danger and impossibility of exact
ing what an uninformed public be-
lieves to be available.
Take again the question of the great
Saar coal basin: Il is agreed on. all
hands that france is entitled, in per
petuity, to the product of the, Saar
coal mines, both because of Germany $
wanton destruction of the coal mines
in northern France and as form of
reparation which could not be obtain
ed in any other shape. But France is
demanding the annexation of the Saar
basin with its half million German
inha bitants, and she refuses all COM
promise such as guaranteeing to her
the product of the mines without the
sovereignty of the area
Publicity is Needed.
If the allied countries were to be
made fully aware of the stand Presi-
dent Wilson and Lloyd George are
making on this problem and the real
sons for it. the solution for which the-
are fighting would become inevitable.
The argument IS constantly used
that if Germany We're victorious, she
would not balk at any annexation
To this the Anglo-Amer!can answer is
that, by following that policy in 1870,
Germany sowed the seeds of the ruin
that has now overtaken her.
While the central evil of the peace
conference situation is that the gov
ernment hesitates to enlighten the
French chamber of deputies about the
real facts respecting Germanv's ca
pacitv to pay one finds PertinaX in
the Echo de Paris complaining bit
terly today that President Wilson and
Lloyd George are Treating European
problems to secure, inside their own
countries, this or that result favorable
to this or that electoneering object"
The longer this obscurantist policy
is pursued the greater will become
the difficulty confronting the French
government besides being the surest
way of inviting the ministerial catas-
The situation in England apparent
ly is similar in some respects. When
100 members of the house of COM
mons sign a document putting for
ward the solution of the reparations
problem and displaying appalling
ignorance of ats most elementary facts
the need of enlightenment in Eng
land is equally apparent.
Opinion of Official France.
French official opinion of the out
look is crystallized in the statement:
Compromise is fatal Certainly
the big four will come to an agree
ment, but what will be it's value?"
The seemingly humorous suggestion
is made in some quarters that the
league of nations will probably divide
its time between Geneva and Brus-
sells, so as to please both the Relgians
and the Swiss Geneva has been con-
sidered and, possibly. decided upon as
the league capital. not to please the
Swiss, but because Switzerland is
neutral state.
The Belgian government, naturally,
is anxious to secure the league for its
capital, but that was not the reason
of King Albert's present visit to Paris.
The Belgian reparation claims to have
also reached the pitch of utter i'm
practicability, and King Albert's OBJ
ject has been, to press them person.
ally on the big four, who had already
taken exception to them. The king
had an hours interview with Lloyd
George last night. and one equally
lengthy with President Wilson today
Their sympathy with respect for this
heroic monarch is unbounded but
with the best will in the world. they
cannot perform impossbilities in his
behalf.
So, it will be recognized, the situa-
ton all around is extremely serious,
and if crisis is to be averted claims
for reparation must be brought within
the realm of reason.