El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-12-02


the presidential election means
~ie United States viii wash It's hands
= Europe Since the Harding land
slide. have discussed American
1oicF with government Officials ana
other representative men IN Pans
and London.
Hardinr-s victory was extremely
popular Tn both countries rms
seems odd since Cox was stanuln 3
for the ratification Of the treaty ana
the league for the endorsement OF
The agreements 1Ir- Wilson made in
Paris, with Harding against them.
But Wilson'S appropriately in France
and England OVERRIDE these consider
atoms There is little or no under
standing OF what the issues were ar
home or of the apparent widespread
desire in the United states to keep
out OF all European entah lements
Certain general views about Amer
Sea are current I'm both countries.
auart from national issues concerning
each one separately These general
opinions VIII probably stand for Italy
as vel and indeed much OF the con
tinenL IneT mlght ne roughly
Jumped as the European opinion on
the United States
blame rs for Their Trouble.
America find agreed on all sides
has very badly 'Iet Europe down
generally admit that the entente
could not have won without American
assistance. But they don't look so Tar
hack as that They contend that the
settlement under which Europe is
now seetnlnE ana suffering was in
effect imposed by the United States.
that IL was accepted only on the
promise that we would help to make
j. effective, and that we should
either have kept the promise made
in Paris and seen Europe through or
else have made no attempt TO influ-
ence the treatg-
Frenchmen and EnElishmen put
this argument rather differently. but
in essentials Sc is the same But for
The influence Of wilson q very dir
fareut treaty would have been made
There would berno league OF nations
There would have been no ATTEMPT 70
carry out principles Of nationality.
France would have annexed tle Rhine
frontier. occunied the provinces be-
voud. dismembered Germany ana
would now be extorting By force the
indemnity.
To say here that Wilson spoke only
for himself. that his promises were
not valid until ratified al home,
draws the retort that internaitpnal
relations are impossible ia the word OF
Country's spokesman cannot be re-
lied on and that America cannot
force other countries to make binding
agreements and then refuse 70 non
or its own on the grounds that It's
Tt VIII be seen to what eXtrava-
Eances these views lead European
opinion. There is in fact no reason I
TO suppose that If America had re- /
dition Of Europe would be better than /
IL Is az present In my opinion 10 /
would have been very much worse
But "a suits the book Of poll
tieIans In all countries TO throw
the blame sur strikes revolutions
and bankruptcy on someone be-
sides themselves, ard Uncle sam,
5000 miles away and not cnrlnE
much what Others say about him. I
makes n useful scurc-oat-
Accordingly throughout Enrope ]
popular legend is EroUiuE up that .
America IS TO blame for an the woes
and miseries OF the postwar time
Believe in Harding
Hardiugs victory is popular be- I
cause fin the legend that is IQurishiug /
Wilson is blamed for much Of the art
ermatn Of the war There ls sun q
certain belief in American dlstinter-
estedness. idealism eEtant I'm Europe,
Europe has not got over her surprise
At our coming inro the war ~ all Tor
no material aims This lurking adj
miraiton and lairh- combined WIN
the bitter disappointment az our pres
enc attitude leads many 90 hope Tor
change Of policy under Harding
The fact thar Harding declares
the IenEuc Of nations dead eE-
cites no surprise and resentment,
for the League rs ut present con
srItufed Is not taken seriously By
most persons In Europe
Its debates and pronouncements are
almost ignored BY the newspapers 10
s. hoped that Harding VIII have some
suggestion for a federation Of nations
made by the United States would be
eagerly accepted throughout Europe.
May Let Europe Alone
Recent intimations have been re-
ceived that Harding VIII have no
definite policy Of assistance or CO.
operation with Europe, VIII refuse 20
accept any OF Wilson'S engage ments
or 20 make Any fresh ones. ana Jhat
the new administraf ton VIII confinei
itself to merely declaring that il any
similar situation to 1919 arises the
United States VIII consider i and
perhaps" act as she acted In 1917
These are received in official quar-
tiers here and in Paris with something
approaching consternation- II they
are true. Europe viii feel that IL has
asked for bread and has been offered
a stone.
Every Frenchman with whom I
have talked since the election has
asked me whether Harding and the
1euu hiican congress viii not at once
ratifv the AnElo-Franco-Am
defensive alliance Each Erenchman
iu turn has exploded with rage in
O iEnation. reproaches and prayers
when I told him there was not the {
chance for this alliance.
when France understands rs
she does not mp to now that we
mean definitely to refuse TO nc
ccut this treaty Our present nv Z
popularity VIII be mngnified sew
eral times
Great Britain has stated that she I
does not consider herself bound by Z
the treaty 10 France unless america
also honors Il. ard France viii claim {
that we tricked her in to foregoing
demands for the Rhine frontier and
the breaking up OF Germany By prom
Ising her an alliance as a substitute
France Needs Money.
There Is widespread BELIEF IN
France that the United States viii 81
help in the present financial crisis :
The hard fact is. as Frenchmen pri- =
rateIy admit that while the nation ;
Is working hard. the financial system I
-uut There is no help in sight but !
Uncle sam Z
IN Paris 7 saw a cartoon represent
ng La France In rage Underneath =
vas the legend Defeat and humil- q
.aion in 1870 cost me $4,000. 100000; I
victory and glory j seems, are 20 I
cost me $50. 0o0 .0o0. 000."
That cartoon symholizes French
opinion on the financial position
There Is nothing new in this
France has believed for two
year, chat her two principal aEso-
clntes let her mike sacrifices and
Eot rich themselves out Of war,
then ruined her still further by
forbiddiug her TO exact by force
from Germany the rCpurutiOn
which she IS BEGINNING 10 fhluE