New-York tribune., 1920-02-26
The George Washington Agam
By Frank II. Simonds

President Wilson's course In serving
new ultimatum upon our recent Euro
pean associates Is clearly q repetition
OF the George Washington incident
during the Paris Conference. It rep
resents q deliberate and we'll defined
policy-that is, we'll defined in the Pres
ident's mind-and not in the least
an impulsive act. 1t does more: it dis
closes the Presidents conception of the
American mission in world affairs.
In the case Of the George Washing
ton incident, as M. Tardieu has lust
explained, France demanded Of her re-
cent allies exactly the same security
against German attack which Britain
was asking, but while British demands
were for the destruction of the German
neet and the occupation Of German colo
MES, which were the threats to Britain
OF German power, France demanded the
right to occupy the left bank of the
Rhine, the sole military barrier against
German aggression.
In this Clemenceau was opposed by
the PRESIDENT and by Lloyd George. But
the Tiger" remained obstinately de-
termlned to obtain for his country
what the British had obtained for their
own land-namely, security. Thereupon
Mr. Wilson sent for the George Wash
ington and threatened to take it and
quit Paris. Even this threat did not
dislodge Clemenceau, who could not
nave lasted day in power if the
French people had learned that he had
surrendered in the matter of securitv.
In the end the President proposed as
substitute the Anglo-French guaran-
ty, and Clemenceau accepted it. As
the thing was settled at Paris France
would not permanently occupy the left
bank of the Rhine and the United
States and Great Britain were pledged
to send their troops to the. Continent if
France were attacked by Germany, since
French defense would be greatly weak
ened by the elimination of the Rhine
barrier,
Our Guaranty Again
Now similar situation is coming.
We shall be asked once more to guar
antee another European frontier if we
interfere with another nations ideas of
Its own proper security. The Italians
will suggest as substitute for their
settlement Of the Adriatic question, and
for the compromise suggested by the
British and the French, an American
guaranty of Italian populations md
interests on the east coast of the Adri-
attic. They will do it for the Same
reason Clemcnceau demanded the SINH
lar guaranty, because they are dealing
with question of national defense.
But the United States Senate has so
far failed to make good the Presidents
promise to France; therefore, the Ital-
ians will follow the French example and
insist upon occupation by their troops.
at least until the American guaranty be-
comes absolute. We shall then bes
to undertake two European
at once, or our cham
plonship Of certain abstract principles
will become merely ridiculous. But
these tasks will be considerable.
On the other hand, if we refuse to
undertake these tasks the situation of
the Jugo-Slavs will be far worse than
1t might have been if we had not set
our faces, by the action of the Presi-
dent, against the compromise proposed
oy the Allies, by France and Britain.
1t will be impossible now for anv
'ugo-Slav Ministry, or Prime Minister.
20 accept the Anglo French compro-
m'se' because it not only does violence
20 the aspirations of Jugo- -Slavia and to
ABSTRACT justice, but has also been re-
pulsed with scorn by the President oY
the United States.
On the other hand, the question can.