El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-22
We Make Ourselves Secure With The Monroe Doctrine Back Britain In Naval
Supremacy And Deny Rhine Barrier While We FroWn When
Iay Rumania And Poland Seek Measures To Insure Their Safety
By PRANK H. sIsIONDs.

By FRANK H eAMOADe-
right 10 hold the Rhine barrier.
Germany has failed TO perform
under the treaty and this sup
plies justification for indefinite
occupation by France Of the
Rhine regions
one more Circumstance. highly inn
portant for Americans to note.
France has recently had "a general
election followed by a presidential
sIiiitarists aIn the Saddle
If il be true that the militaristic
elements have gained control Of
France, as the president charges, this
is due TO the fact that France as
nation has adopted militaristic
ideals, for the men now in charge Of
French policy have only recently re-
ceived their mandates from the
French people
similarly, the italian leaders,
whom the president also assails,
represent n new parliament and
are the selections OF a recent ap-
peal to the people Italy. tOos
has gone smiiituristic0 on the
same showing
But any such assumption carries
with IL the immediate doom Of the
whole idea Of the league OF nations
which was based upon the assertion
that the people as opposed TO their
leaders, were done with the old ideas
Of balance OF power, militarlsm, etc
If France and ltaly-and for that
matter, Poland, Rumanias and all
continental enations, have become
militaristic, then there is an end Of
all chance Of any real settlement on
new lines
OF course. the fact is quite other
wise France, Italy, Rumania and
Poland, TO 90 no further, the peoples
of these countries. who have re-
knar aud n
represented by men lately called 10
office, are concerned with achieving
that security which the more fortu-
nate Anglo-SaXon people have been
able 70 achieve or maintain by the
war
Denying Them Protection.
The real quarrel lies between the
tions, which. never for single mo-
ment consentinE TO surrender their
own policies Of self defence, are de-
handing that France Italy and the
rest, shall take the AnglO-SaXon plan
which is completely satisfactory 10
Britain and the United States, but
leaves the French, the Poles, she
Italians and the Rumanians exposed
10 invasi5 On
And. Fhile this demand is reiter-
ated, British and American events
more and more tend TO demonstrate
tries are totally unwilling TO accept
any burdens, incident to the possible
perils that may result for the con-
tinental nations
Al E'renchmen demand security on
the north and against Germany.
Clemenceau acquired the approval Of
his fellow countrymen. when for a
policy OF indefinite occupation or
actual annexation. he substituted
that Of Remuneration, based upon an
Angle E'rench-American treaty OF
insurance" All things considered.
this appealed 10 Frenchmen as pro-
viding security without creating any
new Alsace-Lorraine.
How the French Tell.
But Clemenceau could not have OBJ
tanned any support in The nation for
a policy Of unconditional rsuuncia-
ton II only Americans could once
understand what the German menace
has meant 20 the French, before the
war. il only more Of them could see.
what German Invasion actually
meant TO the French from 1913 20
1915 the feeling Of the people Of
France In the matter Of the Rhine
barrier would be clearly and
sympathetically grasped-
As Ii +, this desire for security
4 described as milltarism and
As imperialism by seculled Glib
erals In Britain and in the
ficts with their nation Of an
ideal settlement. based upon the
sacrifice by alt the countries
Except Great Britain and the
United Stntesl Of things that
mean life OF, death 10 those con-.
fineufnl nations
America went TO Paris and pro-
claimed that il was the moral duty
Of the French, who had been four
times invaded within a century, each
time with tragic consequences for
themselves, 70 lay aside all safe
guards against a fifth invasion and
trust entirely in the paper guar
antees Of the league Of nations and
the abiding faith Of American rep
resentatives at Paris. that the world
had entered into a golden sc OF
peace, in which the German had be-
come gentle and the Prussisns were
no longer predatory refusal by
the continental countries to accept
this view is denounced as reactionary
and militaristic.
Where We Dodge the Issue.
Meantime. in the United States Tor
forward a debate. a struggle. de-
signed beyond all else 10 protect
against any possible dangers
or responsibilities Incident 10 the
treaty Of Versailles
We have asked the French 20 re-
tire from the Rhine barrier and run
the risk Of a new invasion, and our
president is now denouncing the
present government OF France as
because Of its objection
to such a course. yet for months we
have devoted endless atteItion 10
the framing OF sentences and. ths
Selection OF words. to insure our own
immunity, not be II understood 70
invasion, but merely to more or less
imaginary responsibility.
Is Il any wonder that French