Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-24
FRANCE AND THE UNITED
STATES

IT IS IDLE to deny that some
clouds have obscured the ira.
ditional friendship between France
and the United States since the
Washington conference where the
French delegates showed little
sympathy and some irritation owe.
the program Of Secretary Hughes
and the American delegates. The
feeling was added to by comments
in the French newspapers by nc
means complimentary to the United
States and decided GOODNESS be-
tween the two nations followed. II
is alleged in France that we do not
understand France and in this coun-
try that the French do not under
stand us. There is probably some
truth in the remark on both sides.
It is quite believable that the aver
age American citizen does not
realize the deep disappointment Of
the French people when We refused
to become a party to tn League OF
Nations and refused to even con-
slider the treaty Of alliance with
France in case Of unprovoked Ger
man aggression in the future di-
rected against her territory which
Woodrow Wilson sent to the SEN
ate with his approval. The fact
that the president approved it made
its rejection certain just prior to a
presidential election, but the
French did not realize that and re-
garded Wilson's approval as a
pledge that this country would en-
dorse it. With our refusal to con-
slider the treaty the British pledge
to sign a similar treaty fell to the
ground, as the British obligation
depended on our action. However,
since then Great Britain has signed
a treaty with France giving her
the pledge of military and naval
support against German invasion
that was contemplated in the dual
treaty. All these things have made
a painful impression in France Of
lack of sympathy and understand
ing on our part and out of their
deep disappointment the French
have been saying some bitter
things about us. In an effort to
cure this and bring France and
America together in more AMIGA
Bile spirit Prof. Charles Sumner in
the Yale Review sets forth the
French view and justifies it as fol-
lows:
"Yet Europe and the world can
not afford an isolated France in
the midst Of Europe not yet
pacified. Whether Poincare stands
or falls, it is of the first import
ancc both for Great Britain and for
the United States that France shall
join wholeheartedly in the move
rnent for the economic recuperation
of Europe, without which there can
be no economic stability in the
world. The honest cooperation of
France, however, is obviously inn
possible except on conditions that
shall guarantee at once her security
and the most complete measure of
prosperity obtainable. Military
disarmament is necessary to eco
nomic rehabilitation. Without it
the French budget cannot be bal
snccd, and the deficits of the small
states will continue to aggravate
the economic chaos.
But we must not forget that at
the peace conference the demand of
France for the left bank of the
Rhine was refused, and her plans
for an international army to enable
the League to act speedily and ef-
fectively we're thrown into the dis
card. She was promised the treat
les of guarantee, only to see this
bulwark disappear as result of the
attitude Of the United States SEN
ate. From the French point of
view, her army remains her sole
protection from rejuvenated Ger
many, and as the sole threat eff
cient to compel Germany to pay
her debts. In America one may not
agree with this point Of view; but
we are facing a condition not a
theory, and our withdraway from
European affairs is chiefly re-
sponsible for the condition.
1--WE have bestowed upon France
a variety of eondemnatory epithets
without perceiving that we of all
nations have the least right to COM
plain. Never has a political situa-
ton brought out so clearly the