New-York tribune., 1920-10-15
Wilson Pledge
Given tOCalm
Little Nations
Simonds Describes Situation
That Prevailed in Peace
Conference When Wilson
Promised to Send Troops
Failed to Quiet Them
Stunned League and De-
Tended Right of Powers
to Ignore Small States
By Frank H. Simonds

alQ SeHSIoE HpeHSeT, OK rlSSOuIl, over
the Presidents Paris pledge to the Ru-
manians and Serbs, dispute which
Ead its origin in the republication in
The Congressional kevord of an arti-
Gle Of mine, gives new interest to a
document which at the moment l first
nublisked it seemed to me one of the
most important and striking which had
vet emerged from the Paris Confer
ence
The circumstances OF the Presidents
colloouy with the Rumanian Premier,
NJ. Bratiano, in the course of which he
discussed the guarantees in the treaty
Of peace assuring the integrity of the
smaller nations, we're these: From the
outset Of the Paris Conference the
smaller nations had felt themselves
treated very cavalierly by the Big Four.
They had been excluded from the ses-
sions in which real decisions were
made. While the peace conference ne
gotiations were conducted by council
Of ten they had their representative,
but when Lloyd George, Clemenceau
and Orlando Joined President Wilson
at his Paris residence the peace confer
ence simmered down to a discussion be-
tween these four statesmen.
Smaller Powers Indignant
Again and again during the progress
Of the Paris conference the smaller
powers protested against their treat
ment. Belgium. in particular, was
very indignant, in view of her sacrifices
and services during the war; so much
So that there was q moment when she
seemed likely to leave the conference
altogether. and King Albert suddenly
arrived in Paris in an airplane to urge
his country's cause.
Nevertheless Clemenceau, and with
him the other members OF the Big
Four, continued to hand down their de-
cisions to the smaller nations, deci-
s;ors which affected the whole future
Of these countries, with scant regard
for their feelings and hardly more for
their claims. 1t is essential to under
stand this detail to appreciate the at
mosphere which prevailed in the his
toric session Of May 81, in the course
memorable words.
On May 30-that is, Memorial Day
FOR the Americans-the representative
OF the smaller states in Central Eu-
rope. Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, Ruma-
MIA and Jugo- -Slavia, suddenly received
copies of the final form Of the Aus
trian treaty, as it affected them. They
we're invited to appear before a Pile
nary session Of the conference the next
day-that is, few hours later-and
signify their approval or voice their
objections to the provisions of the
treaty.
In effect this meant that these rep
resentatives Of the smaller states were
called upon, almost without notice and
with little more than time to read
hurriedly the text of the proposed
treaty. to appear before the Peace Con-
ference. AS q consequence they came
indignant and with a deep sense Of in
jury. Their resentment, which had been
mounting all through the Paris con
ference, on this day reached the boil
ing point
A Storm of Protests.
Nor was this emotion lessened by
the fact that the treaty itself CON
tanned many provisions to which they
hastily thrown together, full of errors
important and unimportant, and when
the session Of May 81 began Clemen-
ceau, who presided, was instantly as
sailed by a storm Of protests from the
representatives of the smaller states
protests at the manner in which they
had been treated. objections to the
text OF the treaty as it had been pre-
sented to them.
Now, what I published on Decembe1
In The New York Tribune and in the
sixty or seventy other newspapers
which print my articles was an extract
taken from the transcript of the stem
ographlc record of the whole proceed
ings Of this day and containing the re
marks of the President. 1t was placeC
IN my hands by the representative Of
one OF the nations at the session, ont
eT the smaller states, under promise
not 70 reveal my source
And 1t was not with an idea of dis
closing the Presidents pledge, but o.
indicating the fashion in which tn,
small powers were treated and the ex
planatlon of the reasons why two o
them later withdrew from the Peac
conference altogether, that my frient
gave me the document. This article
OIL mine was placed in the Congress
~'""oA 4scSOiu ny SENATOR Aecu O1 WI Is
souri, the next day. December d, ant
mas been the basis of all the speeches
by Senators Spencer, Wadsworth, Reet
and others from that hour.
Reading this stenographic record
one finds that the climax Of the ses
SION came late, after the immediate in
lures Of the small states had beer
AIRED One OF these states, for ex
ample. Jugo-Slavia, 1 think, pointed
out that the frontiers drawn wer
contrary to those agreed upon IN al
essential point, and Clemencea'
forthwith called upon the members o
tne commission dealing with bounda
iies to so into session and remedy il
faderewski, Trumbitch and Bene
presented the objections of their re
spective countries; then, finally tn
discussion turned upon the question
OF mlnorities.
Bratiano Makes Protest
The real issue here was the asser
uon by the great powers of the righ
10 interfere on behalf of the Jews o
Aumanla, who constitute a consider
aoie minority, but the Serbs were ais
concerned with the question of Bull
garlan minorities in their new and oil
POLITICAL,