South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-25
Lansing, in Book on Peace
Meeting, Says He Was Not
On 'Tnside" of Conference

that only 10 the urgent solicitation
Of foreign delegates.
Lansing opposed the Big Five
perpetual control idea. He said 81
savored too much Of balance of
power" rule. that 10 was unfair 90
the small nations Wilson paid no
attention 90 his arguments against
tho big Five" bt ieying that 90 Doe
the only way iH which he could
assure support II Britain. France.
Japan and Italy 90 League of Ma
tons. Lansing says.
Charges Principles Sacrificed.
Lansing insists that Wilson "sacri-
feed his idealism, his principle of
self-dcterminatiou. his open diplo-
macy" and long delayed the return
Of peace because he insisted that
the League II Nations must be writ
ten into the peace treaty
Another wide breach between the
president and his secretary Of state
developed in negotiating a separate
treaty with France. This treaty
Lansing vigorously opposed, he said.
not because he objected to assuring
France Of protection against pos
sible future German retaliation. but
because il was contrary TO Lausing's
idea of American aloofness from
European entanglements - argues
with the president that the guaran-
tee contained i'm the covenant Of the
League, Article y, was sufficient pro-
lection for France, as il was for
smaller nations around Germany.
David Lloyd George pledged Brit
ain 20 such "a treaty with France If
the United States would sign a sim
liar agreement which proposed TO
assist France. i'm economic. diplo-
matte and military ways il Germany
again attacked France without pro-
vocation.
IN. Clemenceau continued 20 press
the president 10 agree TO the plan.
Lansing writes. What arguments
were employed to persuade him I
cannot say. but, knowing the
shrewdness Of the French premier
in taking advantage of a situation.
my belief is that ne threatened to
withdraw his support of the League
Of Nations To avoid this the
president submitted TO the French
demands"
The protective treaty with France
was signed on the morning the treaty
Of Versailles was signed at the
presidents residence. by France.
Great Britain and the United states.
Wilson and Lansing signed for the
United States.
cit would have been futile for me
TO have refused" Lansing writes.
continuing:
This further departure from
Americas historic policy caused mo
to accept Pres't Wilson's guidance
and direction with increasing
reluctance We did not agree, we
could not agree
Lansing says ne did not resign his
commission at that time because he
felt il would create an embarrass-
ing situation In the negotiations" of
the peace treaty.
Charges secret Diplomacy"
OF secret diplomacy, as practiced,
Lansing says. by Wilson. Clemen-
ceau. Lloyd George and Orlando, he
writes.
Everywhere there are developing
a secretivcness which is interpreted
TO mean failure. The patience of
the people is worn threadbare. Their
temper has grown ragged They
are sick OF whispering diplomats.
OF Wilson's principle of "self-de-
termination" Lansing says
THE phrase is. simply loaded with
dynamite What effect will il have
on the Irish. the Indians the Egypt
ians and the nationalists among the
Boers2 II will raise hopes which
can never be realized.
Mr. Wilson made it one of
the bases of peace. And yet, i'm the
negotiations at Paris and i'm the
formulation of the foreign policy of
the United States, he has by his
acts denied the existence of the
right other than as the expression
of a moral precept
"Mr. Wilson even further dis
credited the phrase by adopting a
policy toward Russia which ig
nored the principle"
The principle of "self-determina-
tion" was I'm the original mutual
guaranty" Article III, Lansing as
serts. and was later eliminated when
that article became the famous Ar
ticIe Y. The elimination was chiefly
due 90 the opposition of the states
men who represented the British
empire i'm contradictnction to those
who represented the self-governing
British dominious.
"I do not know the arguments
which We're used To induce the presi-
dent TO abandon the phrase
Admits Not ON Inside"
Lansing admits that hc knew little
of rho inner workings of the peace
conference. He says the president
made 10 clear ne did not wish him
to take q hand in shaping the League
of Nations, and intimated that ne
had better turn his attention To-
other matters concerned with the
peace uog oIations.
However. other commissioners