The Washington herald., 1921-05-29
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war in France, feel enormously un-
comfortable with mental distress
over this unfortunate difference in
policy, and it Is essential that the
people on both sides of the channel
should get to know the exact rea-
sons for the difference and that they
should try to find some common So
luton. Otherwise there will be an
actual quarrel between our two peo-
Piles and that regrouping of powers
at which Lloyd George dared to
hint.
specter OF War.
That will mean. as sure as fate,
preparation for a new war to be
fought by the children now young
or by that youth which is not wor-
rying.
But it will mean at once some
thing almost as hideous-complete
forgetfulness of the only things
which to me and many others gave
touch of spiritual meaning to
our late massacre; the utter betrayal
Of comradeship between those 6OO.-
900 dead of ours whose graves have
been tended and Earlanded with
flowers by French peasants and
those French dead who sleep be-
side them. and the grisly moekery
Of all hopes and ideals for which
the war was fought
AT this talk OF a quarrel between
England and France / think back
to those early days when in Au-
gust. 1914, our first boys came to
France and were greeted all along
the dusty roads by cheering crowds
who twined flowers about their cap.
and thrust fruit into their hands
aand wept at the sight of those
tanned faces of British youth.
Spirit Of France.
/ think Of all the years when our
armies were billeted in French viii
lagos behind the lines and saw ana
wondered at the heroic spirit OF the
old men and women Of France, of
the young girls. and children even,
who never weakened under all this
agony OF war though they saw their
homes in flames, their farmIands
heaved up by shell fire and their
own men killed. class by class, as
the fields of corn are reaped.
l think of the immense, patient
courage of the French poilu at
Verdun, and the thousands of places
where by the spirit within him he
saved France when nothing but a
miracle seemed able to save her.
remember at last the ending .of the
war heralded by the capture of sucn
cities as Lille when all those people
received US as saviors and gave us
thanks in a way that seemed to
make the war worth while.
1t wasn't long ago. Is it so lons
that all has been forgotten and
that now we two people Joined to-
gether in a communion of sacrifice
should be snarling at each other
and using the word treachery as II
was used in the French press and
challenging each others motives
with anger and suspicion?
There must be many soldiers IN.
America, forgetful of little irrita-
tions. who still have for the French
people friendly memories, and who
are perplexed between this friend
illness and perhaps disapproval of
French policy. So it Is in England
with more intense emotion because
we are close to them and we were
with them longer.
Source of Vengeance.
One thing not understood in Eng
land and perhaps not in the Unit
I'd states Is the actual motive NJ n
foreign policy which seems to
raise French militarism upon the
ruin of German militarism ara
seems to demand more than iu.tics
more than reason-blind ferociou.
venseance-against their beaten
enemy.
NOW II may surprise people when
say that the French have a ha.
tired Of militarism, but that is III.
absolute truth. No nation in I'm
rope is more disguised with war.
The French peasants, to a man.
want peace more than anything In
the world. The French middle
Glasses are muttering against the
militarists. The one great domi-
mating impulse in France TO-DAY,
which is debating her whole policy,
Is to be summed up in one word
fear.
They want the Poles to hay. Gar
man Silesis. not for vengeance sake
against Germany. not for love Of
Poland, not for any, wealth that
will come to them from the slles-
ian mines and industries, hut he
cause they are afraid that N this
territory remains In German hands
IL VIII be used by them in future
years as an enormous arsenal In
which they will Manufacture wsap.
ons TO strike at France again.
They want to occupy the Ruhr
ana all that westphslian country
with its teeming factories. not SO
much to hold 1t for ransom. though