Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-24
.CLEMENCEAU'S MESSAGE
= EoRGEs cLEMENcEAU, war

premier Of France, called The
Tiger because Of the ferocity of
his attack on political foes is now
lecturing in the United States with
the avowed purpose of making the
United States see the needs of his
country and come to their aid as
they did during the war, Probably
no citizen of France would receive
a warmer welcome in this country
than C~lemenceau. He lived here
for a time and practiced medicine
in the United States. He speaks
our language like a native. He IN
derstands the American people.
Yet we think the task he has I'M
dertaken is one beyond his strength.
If Mr.. Clemenceau came here to
try and show Americans that they
made a mistake in refusing to join
the league of nations and ratify the
Versailles treaty he might hope for
some measure of. success. We are
persuaded that the drift of public
sentiment runs in that direction
already, and the administration
feels it so strongly that they are
entering the councils of Europe by
the back door with unofficial "ob-
servers who are really delegates
to the most important agencies es-
tablished by the Versailles treaty.
We have representatives appointed
by President Harding on the rep
arations committee and even on
some of the active committees OF
the league of nations. We have
had delegates at all the allied peace
conferences and economic confer
ences. Representatives of the
president are taking a prominent
part in the present Near East con-
ference and telling the allies what
this country Things they ought to
do. 1t is true that they refuse to
vote, but it is idle to say that IT
the representatives Of this coun-
try persuade the allies that they
should adopt certain policies, we
are under no moral obligation to.
assist them in carrying out these
policies. So far as inducing the
United States to adopt a more
manly and above board policy with
reference to aiding Europe to get
on its feet financially and political
~ is concerned Clemenceau has
ground ready for the seed OF his
propaganda. That will come about
sooner or later. But from the
rather vague statements made by
the distinguished F~renchman we
are led to believe that he hopes to
induce the United States to make a
treaty of alliance with France
which will carry with it an obliga-
ton, moral or legal, on Il part to
come to the aid of France with
our military and naval strength as
we did in 1917 under certain con-
~tineencies. President Wilson sign
ed such a treaty with France and
presented il 10 the senate with his
recommendation at the same time
that he transmitted the Versailles
eat 1t found no favor IN the
senate and little outside OF 1t at
the time. Since that time the on
duct of France toward US and
other nations has not beer such
as to make our citizens more will
ing 10 enter into a military alliance
with France. Indeed 1t has been
quite the reverse of that. The
French treaty with the Kemalists III
Anatolia, made in secret and with
out our knowledge or that Of Great
Britain was really the cause of the
Turks coming back into Europe
In order to grab Syria and hold II
against the wishes of a large ma.
iority of the citizens of Syria
France gave the Turks an ample
supply Of artillery and war mum
tons which was a prime cause o:
their later successes against thu
Greeks. In Poland also her poll
cies have not been u policies
o have they . tended to peace
There is no likelihood that this re
public will ever make a treaty wit
France pledging the aid OF on
armies and navy as we did in 1917
That effort cost us untold wealth
We do not know how much be
rause VIC are far from through
with paying it as yet. We hav
written off that loss in lives am
money, and we ask and expect n
return for it-not a dollar of mon
CIV. not an acre of land, not a spe
rial trade advantage anywhere. Blu
g. L,r~ ,e I.e.oc;<sor 40 ran~a{ fh