New-York tribune., 1921-12-12
Popular end Official Opin-
ion Indorses Agreement
as Vindication of Ma
tons Military Stand
Heals British Difference
Paris Newspapers Join in
Praise for Fairness of
Washington Conference
By Wilbur Forrest

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc.
PARIS. Dec. f1.-When Rene Vivi-
ani's feryent oratory echoed at yester-
DAVIS plenary session Of the Washing
ton Conference on the. Limitation Of
Armament, accepting the four-power
Pacific treaty ain the name of the gov
ernment of the Republic C France"
tho former Premier might have gone
further and added "Tn the name Of all
the people of France"
To say that France is pleased at this
outcome of the conference is to make
use of the mildest expression heard in
quarters where Frances opinion, not
only official but popular, is registered.
So far as the Tribune correspondent
has been able to find. there is not one
dissenting voice to the "unrestricted
and unreserved" adherence given the
treaty yesterday by this nation through
its eloquent spokesman at Washington.
France feels that the treaty is more
than an agreement contributing toward
peace in the Pacific. Frenchmen hold
il as vindication for France of the
charges disseminated throughout the
i
tice that France was menacing world
peace through policy of imperiallstlc
nllitarism
Called Public Endorsement
The treaty is regarded as an indorse-
ment of Frances good intentions pup
licly bv the greatest nations OF the
world assembled at Washington. 1t IS
also looked upon as the first oppor-
tunity to work out some kind Of agree
ment and cooperation with the United
States since the Senate shattered the
hope Of the Versailles pact. Greater
moral equality and cooperation with
England are also expected to pe 1orIn-
coming by virtue of the dissolution OF
| the Anglo-Japanese treaty IN favor OF
the quadruple arrangement IN which
French and English peace interests
! will be merged as far as the Paclhc Is
| concerned.
Thinking F'renchmen believe the
precedent set at Washington by the
| Far Eastern agreement will have
good effect on hectic European AFFAIRS
! in which it is held q spirit Of concllla-
tion and understanding must replace
the diplomatic jousting of the past,
based on political considerations.
While the Anglo-Japanese treaty
never was source OF much embarrass-
ment in Frances dealings with Eng
! land, it would be wrong not to record
the feeling of satisfaction resulting
from the present turn OF events. Some
observers even go as far as to believe
that England's acquiescence to the in
clusion Of France in the Pacific pact, to-
cether with the scrapping Of the Anglo
Japanese treaty, is the signal of re-
versal of British official opinion that
France unduly alarmed European af-
! fairs, and a British tendency to lean
to the view that European reconstruc-
ton depends upon close Anglo-French
cooperation and firm hand on Ger
many.
First Test Comes Soon
In this connection the first test Of
the new co-operation viii come soon
at a meeting between Lloyd George and
Premier BRAND at London on the vital
| question of reparations
Praise is heard on all sides of Amer
lean initiative in staging the interna-
tional conference, which, unlike most
of those of Europe, has been crowned
with success.
Gustave Herve, in "La Victoire," COM
pares this powerful America of to-day
with powerful prewar imperial Ger
many, which might have called France,
Russia, Italy and Austria Hungary to
Berlin with the firm intention Loyalty
to search with France for means
for avoiding the war which seemed
coming"
Peace could have been saved" says
Herve, ''but there are certain generous
I initiatives which only truly pacific de-
mocracies can take and which cannot
come from fuedal military aristocracies
or autocrats who sense divine right"
LA Gsulois" says: ''The Pacific
treaty marks the progression of new
general policy which tends to substi-
tute special accords for more general
understandings that are indispensable
to tho restoration of the economic and
financial stability of the entire uni
verse. 1t is not impossible that the
solution found at Washington will
preface other solutions which more d.
| rectly interest France, soon to be dis
cussed at London"
Japan Far From Isolation
The Paris midi" commenting other
wise on the ineyitableness of host;ji