The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-01

the government should have selected the former premier for the mission of saluting Mir. Harding's installation as President. As to the timeliness of the mission, of course, French opinion unanimously approves any demonstra- ton of sympathy for our sister repub- lie, but the few Frenchmen who know An, n,erica wondered whether such a manifestation had better not have been postponed a few months. The republic can administration had just assumed not without difficulty. At such a mo- ment it is sometimes better to leave people alone for obvious reasons.
 For instance, French mission reaching Washington just at time when various factions of the republi- can party were seeking to reach an agreement among themselves must necessarily get mixed up in affairs not properly it's business. 1t might even happen that one faction would try to use foreign visitor to bring pressure on the rival faction, and thus the for eigner would unwillingly become the instrument in maneuvers of which he was entirely ignorant.
 NO EVIL HAPPENED
 But on the whole, thanks to M. Vivi- anis tact and Secretary Hughes far seeing firmness, nothing of evil hap pended, although there were delicate moments. During the first days he was in Washington, Frances ambassa- dor extraordinary heard too insistently in certain quarters that the Knox res- olution for peace with Germany was the American Bible, pure and simple, and that no ratification of any part of the versailles treaty was to be ex. pected. Secretary Hughes intervened in this situation and the echo thereof reached the 'Quai D'Orsay as we'll as certain newspapers. The French gov ernment quickly advised M Viviani and Ambassador Jusserand that it's viewpoint was unchanged, and that it hoped the United States would no. simply make peace, but would res main faithful to the essential princi- ples of reparation and justice which had been written into the treaty
 At the same time the officials of both governments expressed surprise that in press dispatches a journalist attached to the Viviani mission should have represented as a new amendment to the Knox resolution, designed to satisfy France, the famous paragraph five which really formed part of the original text.
 In short, both In Paris and Washing ton it appeared that too heavy pres- sure was being exerted to induce France to abandon all hope of Ameri- ca ratifying the treaty of Versailles.
 REACTION PROMPT
 But prompt reaction followed, and the evil quickly disappeared. Presi- dent Harding's message, published soon afterward, cleared things up and hf- throughout France.
 Tn another direction, M. v!viani suc- ceeded admirably. This was in dissi- patjng the misunderstanding carefully nurtured by German propaganda to the effect that France desired to escape payment of her debt to America. This propaganda even made SO bold as to declare that viviahi had been com missioned to request cancellation. The former premier had no difficulty in disposing of this imposture. It is Frances habit to pay what she owes. Furthermore the figures speak for themselves. France owes the United States 13,500, 100000 francs at normal rate of exchange. Germany owes France 21S000,0 100000 francs. The in- terest of France lay not in securing remission of the 13.00o o0o 900 owed AIiol iCdp put III SecuTln AiHeTlCdn aS- sistance in collecting the 1S,o00, 900, 900 due from Germany under the treaty. This truth Is now established. and France hopes that no doubt concerning it will ever arise again.
 On the whole. M Viviani's mission, which had no definite object, but mere- ly was an act of courtesy, brought America not only Frances affectionate greeting, but eloquent testimony con cerning our country's situation it's at tachment to peace and it's determina- .ion to obtain payment of it's due. Tn offering this testimony, Viviani did what he was commissioned to do, and although he could not say 1t in Eng fish. surely his eloquent words. chilled though they were by translation. had