New-York tribune., 1921-04-12
Give Germany
No Moral Aid.
Viviani Pleads
Continued from page ons)
in the mustard-hued uniforms who
forged through the Argonne.


forged through the Argonne.
Germany knelt before America and
sued for peace" he said.
Proceeding then to the errand which
brought him to the United States. he
tried to make clear the attitude of
France toward Germany and the prob
lens Of peace.
France made great sacrifices," he
said. Before the war she knew that
liberty was in danger and would be at
tackled. That is what saved the world.
france is not asking payment for that
France does not traffic with the blows
received by her sons.
mat she asks is Justice When
France signs q treaty she has respect
Tor her word, and now she wants Ger
many to respect the word which Ger
man statesmen have given at YER
saillcs.
Trance has been accused of impe-
rialism How can this be said, when
France has made every sacrifice for
iorty years to preserve peace and civ
ilization?
France asks nothing-not even the
frontiers she had before the French
Revolution. She has only asked for
Alsace-L Lorraine. But what she wants
are guarantees, because she has a dam
gerous neighbor. Within century
France has been invaded four times and
Paris twice has been taken. That is
why France needs guarantees to-day.
France asks of Germany not even
the cost of the war, hut reparation for
what Germany has done in occupied
territory, not for the purpose of war,
but to keep France from rehabilitating
herself after the war. And when we
ask such reparations we are told: Look
at Germany
"Now say: We'll look at Francc!'
and, pesides-did Germany look at
France in 1870? All the victorious
nations have heavy taxes, but Germany
does not have them in the same pro-
portion.
1--WE have decided to make Germany
pay, and even if the whole world
leaves us alone, France is still capable
OF going on unaided.'
Praises Hughes Note
Mr.. Viviani spoke of the note which
Charles L. Hughes, Secretary of State,
sent to Germany concerning repara-
tions. This, he said. was, in a way.
d guaranty for France.
"Now, what we ask from America, !"
he said, "is that Germany must not
think that America is Indifferent to
the world at large. 1t would be a
peril if Germany could believe chat
there are differences among the Allies.
This. of course, cannot arise in real
ity, because the idea is the same
behind the flags under which we all
fought
What France asks is moral soli
dar.ty"
The auditorium was decorated with
French and American flags. About
200 persons had seats on the stage and
the Old Guard was there in it's I'M
presslve uniforms. The hall was filed
to the furthermost corner. Frederic
Z. Coudert was in the chair and called
the meeting to order.
After brief address he surrendered
the chairmanship to Governor Miller.
The Governor declared that Mr.. Viviani
need have no fears as to the attitude of
tho United States.
BY turning down the League of Ma
tloAs.' he said, Eve did not intend to
slough off that responsibility which we
assumed by participating in the war.
without entering that or any other
lea que this country may insist, as THE
state Department already has insisted,
that damages shall be paid to the full
est extent possible and within rea-
sonA bic time
Other speakers were Martin W. Lit
tleton, George w. Wickersham and
Protestant Episcopal Bishop-elect vii
liam T. Manninp