Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-04-28

| tii' N''"Ih hilC llODdbIi VIII De
the ambassador of the United
States To France. Frenchmen. official
and nOn-official. have expressed their
entire satisfaction with the appoint
ment. There are some curious cir
cumstances connected with the pre-.
'iminaries of the designation of Mr..
Herrick for the, position which he
held once before
1t was on the day that the United
States declared 1t must stand with
the allies on the question of the amount
Of the German indemnity that Mr.. Her
rick accepted President Hardings Of
! fer To make him the ambassador IL
! France. There is close connection
between these two facts; at least
! think | can say so without much rrep
! idatiOn lest somebody enter denial. |
think II is safe further to add that 1t
lhe United States had not sent IT,
note 10 Germany more than intimatine
that she must pay indemnity to the
full limit of her ability, Myron 7. Her,
rick would have declined 10 60 to
France as ambassador.
Mr.. Herrick was the American am
basSador to France when the great war
broke out He was the representa-
tive of neutral government, and he
did not allow himself TO do anything
which could give Germany or Austria
the slightest cause of complaint that
he was engaged In anything which
the ambassador of a neutral country
might not do. But in the shadow Of
The menace of the overthrow of Franc"
by militaristic power which wante1
tc dominate the world there was no
question then, nor is there today, as
Ia where Myron r. Herricks Sympa
thes lay. France loved the man and |
loves him today.
While Mr.. Herrick was in state OF |
doubt as to the intentions of his gov
prnment toward reparatiOns and to
ward other things he felt that he
could not 90 back to France, there per-
J APPS to be called upon to stand as
spokesman for his government In mat
ters which the French people would
regard as inifnfcaI to their interests,
and which might make 1t appear that
the United States had forgone its old
time friendship for the republic over
the sea. With his syinpathies one way
and his actions as an ambassador be-
ing forced another way, he would have
been placed In a position impossible
for him to take. -
Now that 1t is assured that the one
thing which makes Frances future
Herrick can go to his Paris post and
feel there that he can do his whole
duty by his country. and yet retain
The friendships which he won by his
high conduct during the trying days
If 1914. q
Served Far From Firing Line.
Every little while there come
% Washington, either for temporary
n for permanent duty, high officers
If the United States army who
Turing the participation of the United
~ force Of circumstances to serve with
roops at long distance from the fir
ng line. They were not even given
he satisfaction Of serving within the
boundaries of the United States proper
n the work of preparing their fellow
'itizens for the field of battle, e
These men come from the Philip s
,ines from Hawaii, or from Panama. g.
t must not be supposed for one mo-
neut that the soldiers of the United L
iguOus possessions during the war did Il
Ot have their high duties to perform :,
thile the American army and the II
american navy were at grapples with S
he foe. Tie work that these men did {
tas an essential part Of the whole
cheme of warfare, and they did 1t
yell. c
There came to Washington the other I
ay John Bellinger Bellinger colonel.
department, United =
tates army. When the war broke out V
'ellinger naturally wanted to serve In O
lt IltlI VI hiBh uItiOh, DuL I,
e was in the prime Of life and health,
nd had back of him a record which
ad secured for him at one time rec
that he be made quarter
laster general of the United States.
e was sent to the Philippine Islands
5 department quartermaster.
How They Helped Win tho War; +
Not long ago the Philippine senate
lanked Colonel Bellinger In resolu-
on for the high service that he per- n
,rmed while department quarter i
aster in the islands.
Taking Bellinger's case as an ex-
nple Of others, what was IL that this
licer did away off In the Far East In
der that he might help to solve some =,
the problems confronting his coun-
Y In the time of war? He knew, OF 6
'urse, instantly that food was vital =
ing In connection with the carrying :
/ of the war TO II successful conclu- z
on, Almost instantly on his own In s