The Washington herald., 1922-04-10

more ana more nrmly resolved 10
protect herself and look to her
armies and her navy-for one-third
OF Frances troops in the next war
will come from her colonies and II
she cannot move them rapidly to-
ward France she cannot check a
German attack which she expects to
face alone. Hence she insists that
she must have sufficient ships and
Is not satisfied with the Washing
ton decision.
The American and British talk
that the French are militarist
leaves the French cold where II
does not make them hot. Even
more indignant Is French opinion
over the foreign view of the matter
OF reparations and war debts.
France says two things quite frank
ly. First. she will pay American
debts when she can: second, she can
neither pay American and British
debts or rebuild her own devastated
area II Germany doesn't pay her.
One-third of all Germany owes
France Is already marked down to
discharge her British and American
loan. but this leaves France far
less than enough to pay for her re-
construction. Therefore she will
not consent to any further reduc-
tion.
Believe Germans Aiming Secretly.
All Ffenchmen believe that Ger
many is arminE secretly for a war
of revenge, and I've been informed
on this subject by every sort OF
witness. The date most frequently
fixed Is ten or twelve years hence,
when the Saar plebiscite should
take place. They ask me quite
frankly II the United States doesn't
know OF the German preparations
and. II they don't know. why they
aren't told. But since the attack Is
planning why does American public
sentiment demand France to disarm
and face an attack which America
won't aid France in repulsing.
When American and British
newspapers and public men insist
that German war reparations be re-
duced the Frenchmen asks at once:
will you reduce your war debt
which we owe? You are certainly
not asking US to be more lenient
with the enemy than you are will
ing to be with an ally" As far as
the British are concerned they see
the point and will presently cancel
the French debt. This much Is GER
tain.
As to what France owes us, the
debt will never be repudiated. but
its payment will be entirely con-
tingent upon the German payment
to France OF the present total re-
parations which will be quite impos-
sible If the United States is in
terested in getting the total re-
duced and restoring European mar
kets. the United States will have to
- aIn N
q the allied debt This Is automatic.
Meantime thee is stirring in
France a very profound resentment
over both the British and American
policy. Washington il seems to the
French was British triumph.
which placed Britain without fur
ther challenge from the United
states in complete control of Eu-
ropean waters. Most Frenchmen
believe that the Hughes program,
either by design or accident, eX-
actIy fulfilled the British policy,
condemned France to permanent
heIplessness in the face Of Britain.
which no longer seems to be the
least friendly.
There is a certain obvious pathos
in what is taking place here today.
You cannot but feel that French
men IN very great numbers look
upon recent events. such as our de-
cision to withdraw the last of our
troCps on the Rhine, as visible
proof of the cooling Of American
affection and a final demonstration
that not one of all the hopes which
were placed in American assistance
are going to be realized.
But IL you ask IL this manifest ap-
preciation OF the charge OF Ameri-
can feeling will modify French pol
icy, the answer must be negative
because the mass of French men
and women believe that the present
, Ftench policy is the single policy
which can preserve France and
postpone II 1t cannot prevent the
ruin which seems always TO
threaten from the north.
Seek to Present Case Again.
Three years ago at the Paris con-
ference there prevailed in Ameri-
can quarters the conviction that
France must and would yield 20
the wilsonian conceptions and
something of the same Illusion pre-
vailed in Mr.. Hughes mind regard
ing their policy at the Washington
conference, but in both cases feel
that the assumption was essen
TALLY mistaken as subsequent
events seemed to show in both in
stances.
What the French are very anx-
ious for today is to make a new
presentation OF their case to the
American public, for they feel their
advocates have made a terrible
mess Of things. But at the same
time they are not in the least pre-
pared to accept any American
views as to the size of their army
and are very likely to reject the
ratio accepted for their naval ton
mage by their Washington repre-
sentatives.
Feels America Il Lost.
I don't think the French any
Longer expect the United states to
return to Europe in the old sense.
They are satisfied to have America
out Of Europe for good, but what
they resent is that. as we continue
to give evidence of a determine
ton to stay out of Europe, we un-
dertake to criticise their measures
of defense taken as a result in part
Of a growing certainty that they
will have to face Germany alone
the next time. And next time Is
already beyond words.
Fye talked with scores of
Frenchmen in and out of public
life and have even discussed the
matter with Clemenceau himself.
whose interest remains undimin-
ished. but the more one talks the
less IL seems possible to ana a
a--a, -ronuA- -haf@..-