The Washington herald., 1920-07-21
BY wYTHE WILLIAMS.
Cwashington HernId-Public Ledger
Service, Special Cable Dispatch.D


Paris, July 20.-"The answer to
the riddle" is what a majority of
the French newspapers frankly are
trying To discover in the results
of the conference at Spa. This. de-
spite the satisfaction registered by
both Premier Lloyd George and Mil
lerand and the latter's declaration
that the period of execution of the
treaty is at last on.
The phrase quoted at the begin
ming of this dispatch is that used
by the semi -official Echo de Paris
in a column leading article in which
il carefully endeayors' to explain
what IL admits are concessions
made by Millerand." L'Homme Lii
bre. which lately has been out
spokenly the protagonist of the
founder, Clemenceau, and therefore
hostile to Millerand, finds it's So
luton of the riddle in the declara-
ton:
Twelve days, two protocols. not
one guarantee. That may be called
the result of the conference at Spa"
L'Oeuvre, which is against every
thing as it is, has the headlines:
1T is no longer the impromptu
of Versailles. 1t is now a tour of
the world in eighty days-Hythe,
Brussels, Spa, Geneva, etc" The
journal goes on to berate the con-
ference for what it terms "the
diplomatic giddiness that forgot TO
include an air clause in the dis
armament protocol" and says, "all
those at Spa were surprised at the
confusion that reigned in the con-
ference. At a distance one imagines
that diplomats charged with a
historic mission are grave, me-
thodical, incapable of being upset.
Here we have grievous proof to the
contrary, for we remember that
Germany places her supreme hopes
for revenge in aerial war"
Quite as severe criticism comes
from the governmental press.
jacques Bainville, conceded to be
the clearest and most able political
writer in Paris, says in the Ex-
celsior: a.-
Genevn as Violent as Spa.
The discussion at Geneva will at
least be as violent as at Spa. For
Spa left for discussion it's biggest
and most difficult morsel-that of
reparations. Much can happen in
Berlin between now and Geneva.
What will Hugo SHINES do what
will the Reichstag decide, what will
become of the Fehrenbach ministry? I?
How about German public opinion
excited by the sixty-four news
papers owned by SHINES? Finally,
what influence will Germany have
upon events in Poland? For eyeyy
reason IL is doubtful IL the CONFER
ence at Geneva will open in a spirit
of conciliation and peace"
The Temps says:
'It is on the real contents that
France will judge the decisions at
Spa. 1t Is the illusion of today that
will breed deception tomorrow"
The Main. which for some time
has seen that the greatest hopes
for France lie overseas. mas its lead
ing editorial headed:
Friendship of America for
France is not a vain word" and
says:
The treaty. badly conceived, bad
ly made. badly written, and badly
translated, cannot shake Franco
American friendship. That is
stronger IMAM tne Dad text OF bad
treaties drawn by incapable nego-
tiators. 1t is stronger than the stu
pidity or pride of men, for 1t is
written on the heart of two peo-
pies"
The most somber note is sounded
by M. Berenger in the Midi.
From now on" he says, 'the
things that are to be will be. Keep
an eye on the Europe of the Eas,
and keep q good guard on the
Rhine"
In line with the execution of the
treaty, French officialdom Is keep
ing q careful watch upon the oc.
cupant of the 4Elysee. This is evi-
denced by the fact that nearly ev-
cry paper returns to the discussion
Of the health Of President Deschanel
and his chance Of resuming his of
hce. The Eclair devotes two col
umns to the fact that France had q
vice president in 1s48 chosen by
the prince president, Louis Napol
leon.
AS matter of fact, the manner
In which the French troops shall
enter the Ruhr' already
10 under consideration. France now
has about 100000 men ON the Rhine