Evening star., 1922-10-08


M. franklin -Bouillon, II he was 30 kind,
to be more explicit.
More denials. Then it was that the
American asked indulgence and in the
space of two minutes revealed to the as
tonished FraEklin-Bouillon that the
writer was fully aware Of what was 60
ing on behind the doors Of secret con-
ference chambers.
We'll. then they are facts" cried the
anguished Franklin Bouillon. "I'n ad-
init you are right. But, my dear fellow,
1t is not expedient."
The American. thoroughly angered
by the very evident attempt Of the
French to control the outflow or
news to the press and bias Its char
acter, arose and politely, yet firmly.
declared:
You have confirmed the fact that
my story is correct in its facts. 1
shall not turn to the French foreign
office to decide the expediency OF
anything l write. My employers in
America will answer that"
But franklin Bouillon. quick to ad-
init defeat of his original premise in
regard to the lies. was quick to ex-
tend the hand Of friendship, and this
prevailed between the two until the
Paris conference ended.
Were Sure OF Their Sources.
Other American writers evidently
had like experiences from the pur-
port of a conversation overheard in
the American press headquarters in
the little room overlooking the Place
de la Concorde and the Rue Royalen.
Two of them were arguing bitterly
over sudden developments in the
committee meetings OF the confer
ence. They were arguing the attl-
tude of the French. Both claimed to
have secret sources and authentic
Now, on the level, who informed
you?" said one to the other.
The best possible source. The key
! hole of Quai dOrsay. 1t was Frank
| lin-Bouillon." was the reply.
Come. buddy, let's go to Maxim's
| Bouillon who told me-"
! Two dispatches radically different
| might have gone over the cables TO
the United States that night. had not
notes been compared. Franklin
Bouillon being the fountain source of
/ both. lAs it happened, however. three
distinEt changes were made under
pressure of circumstances that day,
and neither Of the accredited ver-
! sions was right.
Work With Slavic Peoples.
| One of Franklin Bouillon's works
| during the period Immediately after
| the war was the consolidation OF
French influence in Slavic countries.
| Particularly were his eyes directed
to Russia, where the bolsheviki gov
| ernment had repudiated the many
millions of French czarist loans. and
as the result Of which the French
government was aiding and abetting
| every counter revolutionary move
| that showed the slightest signs OF
| incipiency in Paris. and to which city
hundreds Of influential Russians
| focked.
On one occasion when I visited
| Franklin -Bouillon I was forced to
wait. Within six feet of me sa,
Alexander Kerensky, the man who
overthrown in Russia himself He
and three or four companions were
talking excitedly in Russian, and
when Franklin -Bouillon appeared
they rushed swiftly to his side and
impaired news apparently of great
moment. On another occasion / at
| tended a meeting of Slavic society
largely dominated by Franklin Bouil-
Ion, and which attracted all Of the
| Slavic malcontents of Paris. Russia,
eastern and southeastern Europe
were represented. and extension OF
| the theme of the hour, the restoration
of the old regime in Russia being
warmly and enthusiastically advo-
! Gated.
ment and the extension of French
| influence which permitted France to
| effect and correlate her alliance in
southeastern Europe may or may not
have come from Franklin Bouillon' s
work among Slavic interests during
and Immediately after the peace con-
| ference
| notwithstanding the political tides
| Of the past, 1t now is Franklin -Bouil-
! Ions hour IN French politics-rather
another hour. And 30 quick are the
French willing to render honor. he
is suggested already for one OF
| Frances most important diplomatic
| posts, the Enthusiastically to Wash
| ington.