Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-19

frances Resentment at Wilson Z
Charge Of Militarism.

Fsays that an international incident may
g1ov out Of President wilson's charge that
milttarists are in tho saddle in France are ex-
pressed b. many American newspapers. 1t il
even reported that the French ambassador at
Wsshington, N. Jusserand. has been directed
To oi,fain from this government an explanation
LOT the charge.
This il what President Wilson wrote In .
reoant letter to Senator Hitchcock:
Throughout the sessions Of the conference
In Paris it was evident that . militaristc party.
under the most influential leadership, was seek
ing to gain ascendancy in the councils OF
France They were defeated then, but are in
control now"
French public men and newspapers strong
II resent this statement and 30 do many
AmseacanA The Pittsburgh Chronicle-Tele-
graph (Rsp) calls it blasting indiscretion."
Nevertheless, while regretting that ANYTHING
and America, there is . strong body Of opinion
In this country that finds ample justification
for the presidents remark
what tho president said IL undoubtedly
JUSTIFIED BY the facts" declares the Johnstown
Democrat DEM France is obviously fall
ing more and more under imperialistic influ-
ences. She is basing her future more and more
on military power rather than on reason and
Justice" "Mr. Wilson is right" says the Phila-
has said nothing that any European nation
has . right to resent" The Record particu-
larly agrees with the president that article x
Of tho League Of Nations covenant lis neces-
sary to stop predatory craftsmanship in
Europe"
Look" it says, AT England. France and
Italy, now growing at each other over the
Turkish bone! How long is 1t since Italy at
tackled Turkey because it wanted Tripoli, and
because France had taken Tunis? How long
is it since England and France were at swords
points over their rival ambitions in Africa"
As a justification Of the presidents posi-
ton. the Mobile Register (Dem.) points to the
Adriatic controversy THE supreme council S
recent secret change in the conditions. making
that militarist influence Is now active"
THE revival OF imperialisuc ambition, ~
however, says the New York World DEM, sis
not confined to France. It invented Italy s
Adriatic policy; the British government is
bag ridden by 1t, and it is American imperial
ism that dictated the obstructionist attitude of
the Republican majority in the senate toward
the Charleston News and Observer (Dem),
| thinks tho president has pointed to these
things not In condemnation of France-which
is following the only course open to her-but
in condemnation Of the American opponents of
ratification whose refusal to ratify has forced
France to adopt her course, and who thus
threaten to compel a revival of miltarist and
| imperialst methods all over the world" Or
I to quote Secretary Daniels Raleigh News and
Observer (Dem.), "he showed that. thanks to
the reactionary attitude of the senate, the
forces Of the old order in every country had
been strengthened"
| Indeed. "the senate began it." agrees the
Greensboro Daily News Gnd). but now the
president has begun to take hand This
journal cannot justify Mr.. Wilson's statement
and reasons thus:
when We have done our share OF making
the world safe for democracy We may talk
about other people. But we have not done our
share. and show no disposition to do it. We
are content to leave all the dirty work tc
France while we squabble over article X and
sneer at French imperialism"
What appears to the president as militar-
ism in France" notes the Chicago Evening
Post 1nd), appears to many of the French
people as merely reasonable precaution," and
the Birmingham Age Herald (Dem) believes
lit would be folly for France to discard the
only means Of protection she possesses and
trust to q league OF nations which its foremos,
sponsor has not yet entered and which is still
not fully Organized" The New York Tribune
| (Rep) recalls the triple alliance contract
under which the United States and England
were to guarantee France against attack
But" says the Tribune, that contract ha;
been buried from sight for more than eisb
months. The president has shown no interes
in its fate. The French can see no sixns q
Its acceptance by the United States The,
consequently feel that Clemenceau blunderef
into . one-sided exchange"