Evening star., 1921-09-05
Editorial Digest.
Shall We Farley in French3

French CONSERVATION over the use
Of English as the official language of
the arms conference was apparently
much ado about nothing. since no
definite action has been taken in the
matter 1t has served. however. to
bring forth a discussion of the Lam
guage of diplomacy" in American
papers which, while less heated than
that of the Paris Temps and the
Academic Franchise. Is not lacking In
interest Most of our writer's who
comment on the subject feel that Eng
lish is more properly an interna-
tional language than is French. and
that we should conduct our confer
ence in our own tongue. others de-
fend French as the traditional 'diplo-
matte" language, and still others feel
that so long as something Is accom-
plished by the conference in the way
of disarmament and world peace. the
medium for expressing 1t is or no
Importance.
France has found something new
to worry about" the Siuox City Tri-
bune remarks. just at time, the
Roanoke Times adds. when her pres
tige was already reeling under the
reverses sustained by Carpenter and
Lenglen." The protest of the French
Academy against barring French from
would be "a national calamity" Will
sound to other nations. the Boston
Globe suggests, "a bit like a guest in
sisting clamorOusly on having the
chair at the head of the table" 1t
is difficult for us. the Philadelphia
Bulletin believes. with our huge
melting pot for all languages and
races and national feelings, to grasp
this intense pride of language that
exists abroad. and in France to pc
culiar degree" for to the everyday
American the language used seems
of the armchairs at the conference
table. providing merely that all could
Understand"
France made "a big concession"
the Drattleboro (VtD Reformer re-
calls. when at the Versailles peace
conference English was admitted as
equally official and the suggestion
of further encroachment on her pres
tige in that field might be interpre-
ted as "a blunt warning from the
Anglo -SaXons that they expect to
dominate the world hereafter in
language as in everything else Of
Importance" and while mo doubt the
time is coming when English will be
considered the only language worth
while the Reformer sees no oc-
casion for ANY violent fastening of
the process"
The "bi-lingual" compromise adopt
ed at Versailles is deplored by Am
| bassador Harvey. according to the
New York Tribune. as "a sore trial."
and while that system will undoubt-
adly prevail at the Washington con-
ference. in the opinion of the Tribune
the end is in sight" and ''sooner or
| later English Will replace French,
not through any selfish reasons, but
! merely as practical matter" Wood
| row wilson called English the "diplo-
matte language of the Pacific" the
| paper continues. and this it will be.
not that the world loves French less.
| out tnat 1t finds English more prac-
| lcaL So far as the coming confer
| ence is concerned. "the mother toncue
| o, Two OF the nations invoIved' ia
| hnslish. the Geneva On W Times
ooints out. and since they are two
;. me very most important powers
| IN the whole world. there is nothing
| out Of place in the suggestion thn,
me language they speak should be
| made use Of "o
The Bay City tMich) Times Tribune
| carries this point SO far as to insist
1m. m me use of the American lam
| suage which. it maintains. lis ca
pable of expressing anything that the
American language" should he
ADOPTED. in the opinion of the paper,
because 1t is the language of this
anu because America MS
want the disarmament proceedings
IN language which will express in
telligently what goes on at the con-
ference"
French is bound to lose its stand
ing as an international medium. the
Kansas City Star thinks. because
there cannot now be said to be a dip-
iomat1c language since diplomacy
has lost something of its once high
estate. and like most other profess
sions. has come to the use of common
vehicles of speech: its first blow came
when 1t had to speak a language that
the man in the street could under
stand"
However. "the majority of us will
continue to think that the decision
reached by the comforting nations will
outstrip in Importance the language
in which opinion is expressed and re-
corded the Cleveland Plain Dealer
believes. and the Indifference of the
Baltimore Sun to the matter goes to
the extent of granting that delegates
may speak any language they please.
they may whistle their arguments or
sing them to grand opera tunes" The
world and the English speaking peo-
pies "are quite content" the Sun says.
ito have French remain the language
Of diplomacy" but they also hope
| and pray that diplomacy and diplo-
| mats will be little in evidence at the
conference" and the cry of mankind is
l 'let them use any language, just SO
it is the language of actual disarma-