The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-03-16
come to light, and you might enjoy

1t.
First, lets say, the French nation
has been a great nation for Ave or
six hundred years and the French
language has been such q leading
language among nations, that It was
quite generally used In Intentional
conferences where men OF many
tongues sat down together. French
diplomats have always commanded
great respect and consequently they
came to expect that much difference
would be paid to them at such
gatherings, and they were seldom
disappointed in the last 500 years.
At the peace conference at WASH
ington, all the delegates could under
stand English excepting the French
men, and copies of the presidents
opening address printed in French
were laid at the places assigned to all
delegates so that IL they wished they
could read while the president spoke.
To 60 back little in the proceed
ings, let us explain that in the great
assembly hall there was square in
which tables were placed ina great
rectangle for the delegates, and each
mans chair was assigned to him by
card laid on the table in front of 1t,
and as they entered, each man
looked long for his place. When the
French leader, BRAND, entered that
space, thousands Of eyes were turned
upon him and he walked across to
the head of this rectangle of tables
and looked al the cards in front of
chairs at the head of the set Of tables
and not seeing it, he passed on
around the corner and down the side
and found his card. His attitude
and his expression showed surprise
and disappointment at finding it on
the side instead of at the head, and
thereby France received its first in
timation that it, was mot the subject
Of greatest attention in International
honors.t The s1nffe'sl1ad vanished, he
took the seat, and many observers
knew that he felt hurt. 2Inslatsrs SEES
sions fies"' was placed at the head Of
the tables.
| In the course of that famous ses-
I sion, President Harding made his
speech, in English of course, and at
it's close, after"the cheering subsidized,
Mr.. Hughes rose, and fsaid, "Inas-
much as the presidents address has
been printed in French and laid be-
fore all Of the delegates, perhaps it
will not be necessary to have the in
terprcter read it in French And
he glanced at the great BRAND ex-
pecting to receive some mark or re-
mark of assent, but after it was in
i terpreted in French BRAND said,
"Since the presidents address has
/ been laid before us in printed form
we will not insist upon having it
read in French" The use of the
word, insist" told the tale of his
disappointment, and in all the course
of the peace conference, Mr.. Hughes
never again omitted having a thing
recited by the French interpreter
after it had been said in English. l.
was plain that the French had chip
on the shoulder from the moment
that BRAND did not find his card at
the head of the table.
| When China, Japan, the United
States and Great Britain were try
ing to solve the questions of the
Pacific, it did not seem that there
was any reason for inviting delegates
of other nations to sit with them, but
by the time they had arrived at a
basis of settlement, they saw that it
was desirable to have France sign
with them, and when it was laid be-
fore the French delegates in the
meeting of this larger committee,
and it was explained how the matter
had developed, the French agreed to
it, but could not keep back the dis
quieting thought that the other
nations in council made the bargain
and then in effect, said to France,
Sign here" and again they felt just
a little hurt over it-not so much,
perhaps as they did over the loss OF
some of the big battles of the war,
but hurt, nevertheless.
When Viviana was ready to re-
turn to France, it so happened that
Marshall Foch was to sail on the
same vessel "The Paris" Viviana
was accompanied by his wife, and