Evening star., 1920-01-11
BY FRANK H. sIMONDS.

TINE next few days, which will
will mark the anniversary Of the
first session of the conference
of Paris, acquire new interest
as a consequence of two facts. first.
after a year practically nothing OF the
work of the peace conference has yet
been translated into actual peace; Sec
ond, there is, in at least one quarter
in the so-called liberal group, grow
ing demand for another world assem-
blage, not alone to complete the work
of the first, but to undo much
of the rather meagre achievement OF
the first gathering.
Is there any present possibility that
a new world conference would achieve
more than the old? Has the failure OF
the first-conceding the failure-con-
tributed much to making the success OF
the second likely?
Looked at squarely. the failure Of the
Paris conferences far as it failed
was the result of the absence of two
essential details. namely, unity of COM
mand and community of purpose.
But from the very outset OF the peace
conference there were lacking unity OF
command and community Of purpose.
We had become in the interval between
the signing of the armistice and the
gathering of the conference a divided
group of nations.
What Each Nation Wanteds
Given this situation, what were the
national aims of the more considerable
nations?
What the British desired, therefore,
was plain. The British statesmen and
people alike looked to the peace con-
ference to provide a partnership between
the two Anglo Saxon nations.
When you crossed the channel you
found the French were thinking OF q
association which
should insure American aid in collect
ing from Germany that reparation to
which France was entitled and with
out which she was ruined, and, In ad-
dition, that American guarantee OF
the new frontier which would mean
the speedy coming of American troops
to the Rhine if Germany tried again.
As Tor the Italians, the peace con-
ference to them meant the occupation
of certain Adriatic territory not yet
seized, the permanent possession of
other territories actually occupied and
financial support from the United
States.
AS against these several allied pur-
poses, the Germans looked to the
peace conference as a place where.
with American aid, they would be for
given their sins.
Finally, the Poles, the Rumanians,
the Jugoslavs, the Czechoslovaks,
bringing to Paris national claims CEN
ference to establish their claims
against their old oppressors among
the central powere.
AS for the Russians, what did they
look for? Who can answer? But at
least 150,000,000 people were unrepre-
. kAI In, he
In this situation what did America
want? Well, first Of all, 100000
American soldiers, who were the
American expeditionary force, wanted
to go home and never come back.
How Each Nation Baked.
When it came to dividing the terri
tories on the eastern shore of the
Adriatic, Italy quit the conference.
When the question of Hungary came
Paris. at the critical moment. .shere
was the force to .coerce Italy or Ru-
mania? Where the force to destroy
anarchy and its. agents in RussiA.
French and British troops. like Amer
ican, would not fight the bolshevists.
[,werSi'not prepared to coefce Italy,
\ ieveh. with the economic weapons.
France and Italy were wholly sympa-
thetic with Rumania; France and
Britain with Greece, when her claims
ran counter to Bulgarian. and Amer1-
can judgment inclined to the Bulgar.
Meanwhile the United States each day
and hour more clearly indicated an un-
willingness to enter into any partner
ship for world affairs
These things being true. what OF
new world conference? Will France in
such conference think less or more OF
her security, of her indemnity? VIII
Italy retrace her steps and renounce her
aspirations on the eastern shores of the
Adriatic? viii Poland consent to- sur
render the meager Danzig corridor. or
with French support demand an expan-
sion of this corridor? VIII Britain set
an example to France and Italy by vol
unfairly suggesting a return of the
German colonies taken by her in the
war and assigned to her permanently
by the settlement of Versailles?
Will Russia, now victorious where
will Lenin and Trotzl<y, masters OF most
of the old Romanon empire retire from
their recently conquered territories?
Obviously not.
Dim Promise for Unity.
What unity of command would there
be in a new world gathering? Not even
the brief semblance which President
Wilson exercised. Unity il it were
achieved would be obtained by the pool
ing Of purposes Of France, Britain and
Italy, but such a pooling would amount
to a mutual alliance for the vindica-
ton of French demands for military
security and economic rehabilitation,
Italian demands for Adriatic expension.
Rumania and Poland would have to be
made active partners against the Rus
sian and Poland would have to receive
additional guarantees against German
attack in the rear.
Such an arrangement would lead in
4vI 10
nc long time. with Hungary. Austria,
Bulgaria and not impossibly Turkey in
eluctably drawn into the combination.
certain that 1t would be represented in
for that matter would France consent.
would Lloyd George confess to the fail
ure of the Paris conference by agreeing
to a new gathering?
The liberals" in America maintain
that the United States has only to ad-
here to the present stand Of the Senate,
which amounts to refusal OF the
United States to enter world affairs, to
have the whole edifice Of the Paris con-
ference come crashing down, but, at least
as far as the French are concerned. the
success of Clemenceau, chief target Of
liberal criticism, has been complete.
And is it so certain that any Italian
government, socialist or reactionary,
could safely consent now to abandon
Fiume, become symbol OF national
honor and a sign of the injustice which.
in the Italian mind. has been done to
ifaly by her recent allies. and chiefly