Evening star., 1922-11-23
Hitchcock Tells Colleagues
French Policy Toward Ger
many Is Too Drastic.
PEACE is IMPOSSIBLE
BY COERCION, HE SAYS
Criticizes Present French Govern
ment for "Militaristic" Atti-
tude Since War.

The policies adopted by the French
| government toward Germany were
declared to be far too drastic TO per-
nit the United States at this time to
cooperate with France in the Euro
pean situation, Senator Hitchcock OF
Nebraska declared in the Senate to-
day. replying to the plea made by
former Premier Clemenceau OF
France. voiced in his speeches since
coming TO this country.
Senator Hitchcock. characterizing
NJ ClemencAau as the great French
statesman" Laid that it was not his
purpose to criticize the former prime
minister for expressing his views. but
rather to set forth the reasons why
the United States could not act with
France while the present policies Of
the French government were con-
tinued
| NJ Clemenceau, he said. had come TO
America for the avowed purpose OF
setting before the American people
certain criticisms of the policy-of the
United States. He said that NJ Glen
enceau had expressed a Willingness
to exchange criticism with Ameri-
cans. Senator Hitchcock .aid tha, h
thought this was a good method.
Criticizes Clemenceau.
The Nebraska senator declared that
France. il she had intended to senH
an envoy to the United States to plead
for cooperation, might have made
| better choice.
He said that NJ Clemenceau has no:
been recognized as an extreme mill
tarist. as have other Frenchmen now
in charge of governmental affairs. yet
he had represented an eHtremely
harsh policy toward Germany. Sena-
tor Hitchcock read from a book, by
| former Premier Nitti of Italy. in
which the Italian criticized NJ. Glenn
enceau and declared that no one was
less fitted for the work of bringing
about peace than NJ. Clemenceau: that
he saw nothing beyond the need OF
destroying the enemy and because OF
his age he could not visualize the
problems of the future.
Yet NJ. Clemenceau is mild COM
pared to the present government in
France. in it's treatment of Germany.
said Senator Hitchcock. THE pres
ent attitude of the government Of
France may be described as the eN-
tremist of the extreme. What ! say
u merely criticism of the policy oi
the French government. which shoul.!
be amended before asking the Unite!
States to cooperate with France.
| Foreign Markets Falling on.
II have been a severe critic of the
United States for leaving Europ"
when il did. with the problems OF
rehabilitation still to be worked out
Our desertion is being felt by us now.
and / believe that the time has come
when the American people realize the
mistake which was made. There has
been a disastrous depression of bust
ness. Our foreign markets have been
falling Off"
At this point Senator Borah OF
Idaho interrupted. saying: The
senator from Nebraska seems to
agree with Clemenceau that the
United States should participate in the
settlement of European problems. but
Clemenceau is nebulous in discussing
what the United States SHOULD do in
Europe Does Clemenceau desire that
we shall ratify the Versailles treaty
and return TO Europe to help carry
out that treaty in the way that
France Is now seeking to do?
M ssrse nebaoas ssst M repiea sena
tor Hitchcock. AT present 1t is my
intention to speak of the unsur-
| mountable obstacles to the United
States cooperating with France now.
IF France would abandon her pres
ent course. then America might par
! ticipate."
Policy OF France.
when has the policy of France
been different from what II is today
since the armistice was entered into.
| demanded Senator Borah.
Senator Hitchcock, without reply
ing to Mr.. Borah. began a discussion
of the policy of France toward Ger
| many. which he severely criticized.
In the first place. he said. FRANCE
demands of Germany reparations In
an amount absolutely impossible. He
! said that it almost appeared that
France would prefer to have Germany
ment. He said that it is an admitted
fact that Germany has paid all the
reparations possible under existing
conditions. that even by military oc-
more out of Germany. Senator Hitch
cock said that Germany this winter
was facing a crisis due to the lack of
foodstuffs and that revolution or in
surrection was threatening because
of the menace of hunger.
Criticixes African Troops.
Senator Hitchcock criticized France
also for keeping African troops on
the Rhine. and declared that appar-
emily it was only for the purpose OF
goading Germany to violence.
! Senator Spencer of Missouri point
ed out that the War Department had
reported that the troops were Mo-
duct was as good AS the conduct of
any other troops
i Senator Hitchcock. continuing his
charge that France is militaristic.
said that, even when France sent
delegates to the Washington con-
fernece on the limitation Of arma-
ment, they refused to consider here
the question of land disarmament.
and that now, according to press
dispatches France is not going to
ratify that part of the results Of the
conference providing for the limita-
tian of naval armament
1.-The United States cannot AFFORD to
give its moral support to a country
that consists in militarism.'' said Sem
ator Hitchcock. France today main
tains an army of 100000 men. the
largest army ever. maintained in time
of peace. larger even than the Ger
man army when Germany was pre-
pairing for war"
Points to Other Reductions.
Senator Hitchcock pointed out that
Great Britain has reduced her army
to about 100000 men. the United
States 125.000. and THAT Germany has
been forced to reduce to 100000
Under the terms of the treaty of
peace, Senator Hitchcock said. Ger
many was forced to disarm SO that
the other nations might reduce their
armament. yet France has failed to do