Evening star., 1920-02-27
TELLS OF PLEDGE
MADE TO FRANCE
Frank H. Simonds Discusses
Disposal of Demand for
Protection From Germany.
BY FRANK H. sIMONDS.


fashion in which the gu 'tion of French
security was settled at the Paris con-
ference set forth clearly the position
which the United States now occupies
with respect to France. At the confer
| cnce France asked, with the full accord
! of all the nations represented security
against new German attack. Her
! course was dictated by the fact that
twice in fifty years Germany had been
guilty of unprovoked attacks upon the
; French, which had resulted in terrible
wrongs to the French nation. More
| over, within fifty years the Germans
| ship. of four unprovolied aggressions-
against Denmark in 1864 Austria in
| 1866 and against France i'll 1870 and
! 1914.
Mr.. Wilson's Suggestion.
But when the question was raised of
| how these guarantees were to be OBJ
| tanned France and her allies came to
disagreement. Mr.. Wilson insisted that
! the league of nations would suffice. To
which the French responded that since
! it was to have no military establishment
it could not suffice. Lloyd George in
terjected a British protest against the
| creation of a new Alsace Lorraine and
| thus supported Mr.. Wilson. There en-
sued a deadlock. one circumstance in
; which was the Presidents call for the
| George Washington.
Still even the George Washington
threat could not prevail. Clemenceau
was as unable to agree to abandon
| ing French claims for military Sc
| .urity as Lloyd George would have
been to surrender to the President
had Mr.. Wilson demanded that the
| British return the German fleet and
the German colonies, which consti-
tuted for Britain exactly the same
guarantee of security that the Rhine
barrier did for the French.
Make Promise to France.
In the end Lloyd George and Mr..
Wilson did what they were always
| bound to do If they insisted upon
| French notifications of the French
demand for securty-they promised
| France in the names of their respec-
| tive nations that if France would
| agree to waive the right permanently
to maintain the Rhine barrier. the
! British and American armies would
! become substitute guarantees-that
is. IL the Germans again attacked
| France the American and British ar
| mics would automatically move to
the continent. and by implica ton they
| further agreed to keep armies ready for
| this emergency.
| Clcmenceau accepted the substitute"
| for Franc with the amendment that
| tho British and French should CON
sent 10 tIt dllteu ottupttiDIl VI NV
Rhine barrier long enough to com
| pei Germany to comply with the
terms of the treaty. But although
| Wilson and George agreed TO this.
| both. eager to get their own troops
home. turned over to France the task
| of maintaining the Rhine barrier. leav-
! ing only small British and American
| conungents at the Rhine.
Germany Becomes Obstinate.
Now Germany has refused to COM
| ply with certain OF the terms of the
| treaty: France finds herself still
! without American military support.
| since tho Senate has not yet ratified
the French treaty putting into law
| the Presidents guarantee of French
security. and, in addition, finds her
| self without British support because
British public opinion is strongly
| against further continental cam
! paigns and has taken the direction of
! a sentiment for the modification of
| the terms of the treaty.
There is left to the French. there
. fore, only one course and that is the
| course which the Millerand govern
| ment is taking. France occupies the
Rhine barrier and France is warrant
| ed under the terms of the treaty to
continue that occupation indefinitely
if the Germans do not make good
their treaty pledges. Therefore
France must prolong the occupation.
She no longer can count on the Amer
lean guarantee; the British was con-
tingent upon the American. and there
fore has disappeared with it.
Present Aspect of Situation.
So the situation comes down to
this: Through President Wilson we
persuaded France to give up her de-
mand for security. We persuaded her
by promising her our Army and Navy,
| with those of the British, if the Ger
! Nf 1nc. s.n
of the Rhine barrier to attack France
again. and we agreed she should stay
on the Rhine indefinitely. supported
| by our troops and British troops, if
Germany did not fulfill the conditions
| of peace. Germany has not fulfilled
the conditions and does not mean to.
| Therefore the French armies must
| stay and will stay, and the portion of
the treaty of Versailles regulating
| this situation goes into the discard
with much else.
In this state Of affairs the Ameri
can people are not free to criticise
| French action. to accuse France of
| Imperialism or chauvinism, because
we have failed to make good our
promise to give France security to
which she was entitled. Moreover, We
have consented that the British should
have that Same degree or security,
/ obtained by the destruction of the
German feet and the possession OF the
German colonies.
Course Open to United states.
The only course open to the United
States, If it desires to prevent French
occupation of the Rhine barrier, is the
| prompt ratification of the Anglo
French American treaty and the con-
stitution of an expcditionary army
capable of supporting French forces
| Immediately if the Germans attack
France; and we must, in addition. join
the French in insisting upon German
performance of the treaty terms. SO
| far as France is concerned. notably
| in the matter of coal. Nor can the
| British take any other course.
| But if VIC are not prepared to do this.
! despite the Presidents promise. then
we must withdraw our opposition to
French occupation of the Rhine barrier
and accept this as Il matter of course.
following upon our own failure to ratify
the treaty of guarantees. OF course.
| this will not undo tho harm done, be-
cause we have given support to the