Evening star., 1921-03-13
Without American Backing
She Sees Use of Force to
Make Germany Pay.
UNITY WOULD STRIKE
AT ENGLISH INFLUENCE
Ready to Modify League to Insure
Guarantee Full Independence
of Action for This Country.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWER.

BY Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright. 1921.
PARIS. March 12.-Although the high
1y important mission on which Rene
Viviani will sail to the United States
on March 10 is of delicate nature. its
aim is double-on the one hand senti-
mental and on the other political. In
the first place the French government
Is highly desirous of maintaining the
kindly relations which grew up between
the French and American people in
course of the war, and also of paying
homage to the new President.
French statesmen are convinced that
sentimental elements are destined TO
play an ever increasing role in the pol
itics Of the great democracies. and wish
to neglect no possible means of keeping
up a sort OF sentimental communion
with the American people. 1t is per-
haps chiefly for this reason that NJ.
Viviani. who is a great orator, who
knows how to speak the language OF
the heart and who has already been
upon one friendly mission to the United
States. was again chosen for this one.
important f0Ilt1S0A ft0les
Even more important, however. is the
political role which the former premier
will be expected to fill. In the first
place, he will seek to inform himself.
II is an indubitable fact that up to the
present the intentions fof the Harding
cabinet are completely unknown to the
French government. Nobody here. for
example. knows whether the new Pres
ident is favorable or unfavorabie TO
maintaining American troops on the
Rhine. The most contradictory reports
have accordingly been circulating in
Paris on this subject. There is similar
ignorance as to the Presidents attitude
regarding the league Of nations. Does
he want to destroy 1t or amend it,.
French leaders consider it entirely
possible. moreover, that President
Harding has not yet determined his
political program. and that the vague
ideas of Paris are a mere reflection
Of the vague ideas of Washington.
Surrounded by his cabinet. the Presi-
dent doubtless even now is engaged
in formulating a definite program.
and it will be NJ. yiviani's duty to
ascertain what this program is.
French Want Facts.
The results are awaited here with
impatience. for French public opinion
and the French government are
equally eager to establish the great
est possible intimacy with the United
States. Moral reasons. such as the
1f
publics. are supplemented by politi-
cal reasons.
France is convinced that the only
lasting peace is a peace guaranteed
by the United States. and if that
country will join with France and
Britain order can be insured through
out the world. Without American CO.
operation France is convinced that
sooner or later she will be obliged to
use force to make Germany carry out
the treaty OF Versailles. France con-
siders. moreover, that the extension
of the Franco-British entente to the
United States would give the French
government greater freedom Of move
ment than is possible SO long as it Is
obliged to seek support in London
alone. Many French leaders are SC
flled with these ideas that in their
eyes Frances whole policy is dom.
mated by the question of Franco
American relations.
CO-Operation Easy.
Cooperation between the two coun.
tries seems relatively easy. because
there is no possible reason for rivalry
between them. France has no politica
interests in Latin America. and tn.
end of the Russian alliance. as well as
the present financial difficulties. in.
cline the French government to prac.
lice in China moderate policy
which it is said. will not interfere IL
the slightest degree with the Ameri.
can plans for China's commercial de.
yeIopment. There ought to be no mo.
tive for conflict in Europe either
especially as France is too poor finan.
cially 10 dream dreams of grandeur
The only difficulty which the French
foresee concerns the league of NATIONS
France. which places the execution O
the treaty above everything else, con.
siders that this execution is impossibI,
without a league. " no DUt the ieaRu,
would administer the Saar basin an,
Danzig. supervise German. Austria,
, and Hungarian disarmament and keel
watch over the thousand clauses con
cerning international communication
by rail and water? President Wilson
succeeded in connecting the leagu
with everything and IL cannot b.
eliminated without remaking tn
treaty entirely.
Ready to Modify Covenant.
France, however. is disposed t.
modify the covenant in such a wa,
that American independence will b
fully guaranteed. Indeed. il Nigh
also be said that France favors tn
policy of reducing the league for tn
moment. at least. to a mere mechan
ism for the execution of the treaty
France is really no less Jealous of it
sovereignty and independence than i
the United States and will APPROX
any and all measures directed agsins
Continued on I.age 3. Column 80