New-York tribune., 1920-04-18
BY Frank H. Simonds

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criticized at the time, / told
my readers that the league of
nations was dead and that all hope
OF q real settlement in the peace
conference was at an end.
Tho events Of the last twelve
months have adequately confirmed
this conclusion, and the recent crisis
has demonstrated that the same diff
ference in fundamental conception
between the Continental and the
Angio-Saxon nations has doomed the
association Of nations, which, even
where firmly united, barely succeed
ed in defeating the Germans.
In examining the latest incident,
the action Of the French in occupy
ing German cities, it is essential to
perceive at once that underlying all
. else is the same divergence Of views
which wrecked the Paris Confer
ence. In Paris the United States,
through President Wilson, insisted
that peace should be made on the
assumption that the war and the
revolution following the war had
totally transformed the German pol
Icy and the German purpose and
that there was no longer need to
take precautions against German
militarism. Substantially this prin-
ciple was equally earnestly affirmed
by the British.
A Predatory Nation
But the French, for their part,
argued that there was no known
method Of proving that the German
character had been modified, that
the Teutonic rulers Of the future
would turn aside from their own
policies and accept Western princi-
pies. Pointing to the history Of
Prussia for a century and a half,
the French indicated that it had
been a predatory state, from Fred
erick the Great to the moment when
Prussian king, following the VIC
tories of 1870, became William I of
Germany.
France, exposed to all German at
tatks, recently ravaged and devas-
tated by the most violent and savage
OF them all, insisted that the treaty
which was to be made should, as an
essential circumstance, provide pro-
lection against a new German as
sault, both by giving insurance to
France and by depriving Germany
so far as possible Of the means for
any immediate repetition Of the ag-
gressions Of 1870 and 1914. Add to
this the French demand for repara-
ton for German devastations and
the whole French case at Paris is
set forth.
As a consequence Of the collision
OF two wholly divergent views the
Paris Conference resolved itself i'm
mediately into battle between the
Continent, on the one hand, and the
United States and Great Britain on
the other. President Wilson, under
the gentle impulsion of the British,
took the center Of the stage and pro
ceeded, using American financial re-
sources and moral prestige, to en-
force upon the Continental nations
that view, presented by him and sup
ported by the British, the view ex.
pressed in the league Of nations
dreamed by the President and put
IN writing by the British, which un.
dertook to establish a peaceful worlo
without other than moral guaran.
ties.
Guarded by Sea Barrier
But naturally the French, the ltal.
fans, the Poles, the Rumanians, ali
the Continental nations which hac
suffered from German or Austrian
violence, rejected this Anglo-Ameri.
can adjustment Of their future
They all pointed out with equa,
earnestness that Britain and Amer.
lea could afford to run all the risks
inherent in their proposals, because
they were separated from German,
BY the sea and insured against nava,
aggression by the elimination Of the
German feet, while, by contrast, nc
such insurance existed for France
and Poland against German attack
for Poland and Rumania against
Russian attack. Italy, on her part
insisted that there was no guaranty
IN the Anglo-American system
against future menace coming
from revival Of pan-Slavism and
the birth Of a great Slay state ex-
tending through Warsaw and
Prague TO the shores Of the Adriatic
from Fiune TO Cattaro.
Now, following the clash between
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