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The Peace Table Crisis ? - - By - George W, Wiekershain Hi acute was th? ?? PARIS. Feb. 15 '.crisis which was reached early m the "~\reek in the nego iations of the peace rencc may ?" juago A from the * -c|| kii iwti facl that President ' 'Wilson Ihi ? ' wed t0 t!lke steDS t0 the conference transferred from Mr. Wilson was intensely irri havi France t( | ?,...? : cri ? al tone of the ! rench s (j? ? her hand, that press reflected in a very guarded and modi? fied way I ' -'"' '"S anxiety and ap prehension of the French public con? cerning Mr. Wils i 's intentions. This apprehension resulted from Presidcnl Wilson's method of nvoid ,.i.. .?. ith all but a very restricted c rele, save on public oeca alli d upon to deliver ora? tions. He doi ? not understand the French language. Ho did not seek to establish any informal contact with the leaders of French thought, and the absence of any advance on his part made difficult, i4' not impossible, any ' ?dvance on their part. With the exception of Mr. White, it ' is believed that no member of the American commission, and very few 0{ the army of assistants who com posed the vast United States delegation : ! now occupying several Paris hotels, is : sufficiently familiar with the French,' language, French history and French institutions to understand or inter? pret the psychology of the French people. Attitude Created Issue Mr. Wilson's insistence upon the es? tablishment of the league of nations as the primary work of the peace con? ference, and the coolness he exhibited - toward those things which France re? garded as essential to her future pro? tection, gradually developed into an issue between h im on one side and, it may be said, the representatives of substantially all other nations, except? ing Great Britain, on the other side. It was an issue between theories and dreams on one hand and actual con . ditions on t-he other. On the one hand were the academic ideas of those who look forward to the creation of an idyllic state where the angry pas? sions of men shall have subsided into ? sweet reasonableness, and peace? shall reign as widespread as that which per? vaded the Roman Empire when for the only time in its history the gates of the Temple of Janus were closed. On the other hand was the nation whose soil had been invaded, whose industries had been destroyed -the , nation which had borne the brunt of ? a beastly and brutal invasion, which _ had lost 1,400,000 of the flower of its I'outh. killed, with hundreds of thou? sands more maimed, and which now hehe\d her enemy, separated from her only by an invisible boundary line, still .?regenerate in thought and spirit, and already assuming a defiant and insolent attitude toward her, al? though the terms of peace were not ye: settled. Prior : i thi war the protection of France German aggression lay first in the strength of her army, .;? the power Great Britain v.'as ready i i i xert in her defence in the event of unprovoked aggression by Genr.;.:.; , and thirdly, and most po teniaily, in the strength of her al? liance with Ru ?ia. Germany thus was held, tl ;;-.- at li ast, between the jaws oi Ru isia on the east and France and England on tl e west. To ?fay the is shattered, ;.:vj some - ? for that protection must b for France. Want a Strong Poland That sub t tute naturally would be ?-.new and powerful Poland in the ras:, ?fid thi roi the ! ft bank of the Rhine of ;?! I possibilities of Ger !riin ... through the elimina? tor German movement towar?! Frai ce. But the representatives of the pow ?"i* which ui ???d in the war on Ger mar'y. I in the Fans con f?rei ;e, or to speak frankly, the Pre? lenl of the United States and the Prime ministers of the four other zreat ?? ... composing the so-called "'>?% ' ? ave .?.'?-orbed in them'-* selves all the decisions of the con? ference th thi cxcepi ion French Premier), to underesti? mate, if tl i v did not wholly disre? gard, the reasonable foundation for tie i<-;.r and apprehensions of France 1 "d her ui s to accept, as ?er sufficienl defence the protection "' the moral power of the league of This attitude, it was under? stood, proceeded largely, if not en . from Mr. Wilson. When the Prei ident first came to France ? <? entire French people surged toward him with welcoming hearts and ?ind?. -i ore v.-},,,, they believed, had mad?; v,;,r on war, and who was com? ?a* with all the material and spiritual 'orces of America to bind their coun? try's wounds, redress her injuries and ??>f>-g;jar<j her from any apprehension of w*r in the futur??, tir, Wilson accepted -?? homage, but apparently did not **"?? to understand it He had come to bind up the wound?-, of France, yet Mide from a glimpse of Rheims he did ??? take pains to sec those wounds. ,l* ,1"1 Bot even Visit ''?' fields O? Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel or the A**onne, places made fon-.i-r ?m t?fed cPiper^?/?jncrica VERMIN i t'lttr : ??" '??? of ?_' ^S?CACH". W' t*r/tn i ??*?. \ PiKlZ (, f*.y i <w'"- :>;' -??i-_2*HS ?Ma'i>: mortal by the valorous deeds of the American arm;.-. Had he taken a couple of days to visit the region which was formerly the centre of the greatesl and most productive indus? tries of France Lille, Arras, St. Quentin the French people would have seen in that a real sympathy with and comprehension of the extent of the injuries they had suffered at the hands of Germany. But time pressed he did not tind time to go, nor did he ?'dibit in speech or action any great desire to see the terrible devas? tation and havoc so systematically and so thoroughly wrought by the enemy in France. Recent publications have confirmed information previously obtained that part of the German plan from 1hc outset was so thoroughly to destroy France industrially as to remove for decades the possibility of French com? petition with German commerce. And the fact is that unless Germany is made to restore the cities and indus? tries which were destroyed France will bo financially and industrially ruined. Germany, knowing this, is prepar? ing to resume her manufactures and commerce, and thus complete the com? mercial destruction of France. Only compulsory restitution to France. 0*1 what Germany has taken from her - restitution either in kind or value can avert the complete bankruptcy of France. Doubt Wilson's Sympathy Growing doubt of Mr. Wilson's un? derstanding of or sympathy with this fact has wrought in the feelings o? the French people toward him a subtle but unmistakable change. Instead of an unbounded confidence and immense hope, there has developed a doubting disappointed, critical attitude of mine which finds expression among al! classes. Up to the present Premier Lloyc George has supported President Wil? son substantially in all his proposals It is obvious that the British Premie, considers a close accord between Circa Britain and the United States of para mount importance. How far this will ingness to subordinate all question; atfectinp; Great Britain to Mr. Wilson' views will fro is not yet apparent. Whei the question of the freedom of th? seas is reached i: may be found tha the limit of Great Britain's acquies cence in the views of the Presiden has also been attained. The representatives of the colonie are not so complaisant. Some of then: in common with France and Italy, de mand more tangible fruits of victor than participation in a paper league Australia and New Zealand see littl difference between the German an, the Japanese menace. They consider more adequate protection of their in terests, rather than promises not t abuse newly acquired territory, to b essential to their safety. Took I'p Side Issues On all hands regret is expresse that, the peace conference allowed 'A self to be drawn off into :he considei ation of other issues before settlin the main conditions on which the wa with Germany is to lie ended. France has suffered so much an she has borne her sorrows with sue high courage that the Allies, and abov all America, owe her a high duty nc only to see that her material loss? are repaired, but to dry her tears wit world-wide comprehension and syn pathy. Americans to Assist Russian War Prisoner Special Mission Will Supervif (Jare of -Men in ,30 Camps ?Party Leaves Coblenz COBLENZ, Feb. 15 .by the Associate Press). Two special trains carryii ^ixty officers and odd men left Coblei yesterday for Brandenburg and otli prison camps where they are to und?' take supervision of the care of Ru ,-ian prisoners. The Americans will 1 to Berlin and there v. iil be assign? to thirty camps in each of which th?' are from 1,200 to 2,000 Russians it in isoned. Members of the contingent wc I'lckc'd from men of the First al Second armies, many of them speaki Russian and also German. They a rived in Coblonz Friday from arc; beyond the Meuse where they we P-SBCmbled. The Americans are u armed, but curry bedding and ratio for sixty days. Major L. M. Silvester, of Port mouth, Va., who is in charge of t Brandenburg camp, came to Coblei t?i furnish the soldiers with advan information regarding the route ,-u other details concerning their tri . I h?- camps where the Russians a Confined are all unsanitary and t food is poor, according to Major S vester. The duties of the America will include the improvement of co ditions generally, while German s< diera will guard the prisoners as hei tofore. Two officers and twenty m will be assigned to each camp. Famous Aelress Kills Sell Death of Sumako Follows Si ???de of University Paramoui TOKIO, Jan. r, (Correspondence The Associated Press). Sumako, 1 garded as Japan'? greatest actre committed suicidi v itei day, the 1; day of th?- New Year holidays, 1 day and ht^ir of her death marked < actly two months from the death Professor Shimamura, of Wascda I 1 vcrsity, who had sriven up his ??, 1 children, friend? and chair in the Ul versity fur love ?<f the actress. Surnako had appeared the nljfht I for?? at the Yurakuza Theatre, it ?-.aid ; H<- hanged herself with a geai ?ilk i.-.i I?. Id? Yurakuza will I,?' ,?!? th<- re 1 of the month hi memory of hading lady, mako bad played Ophel?H ai t Imperial 'I heat re, but is . aid t?, |UI . ' ? ? -iil M?r greal 1 I 1 ucees in 'J\ lor' "fie m reel Ion." Hup Mil?, M\ney Oe.v >,,, ? rt'-i M t 1 ; r, Tin ? 1 ? , , ? -,, , :?. ,,. !??'ii ? ' ? nc! . ? e . <;,., n 111 ?? ', II, ivlioi? ? , ci ; , i, French Papers Doubt Security In New League _~ Covenant Rouses Little En? thusiasm in Paris; Plan Is Called Nebulous (Jose Alliance Foreseen Socialist Editor Says Pro-! jeel Cannot Command Sup? port of Peoples' Parties PARIS, Feb. 15.- Comment in repre? sentative French newspapers on the constitution of the league of nations j as presented in yesterday's plenary' session of the peace conference reveals! little enthusiasm over the shape the' project has taken. The "Figaro-' says: I "The commission, on the initiative of j its illustrious chairman, President Wil son, wisely decided not to ravish to- ! morrow from the eternal and confined itself to making safe the present. The mystic society of nations has, then, be i come a league of the five great powers ! which beat Germany, and which, hav? ing conquered, mean to consolidate both victory and peace. A close alli? ance will result among the United States. England, France, Italy and Japan." The writer, Alfred Capus, editor of the "Figaro," says in addition that "the future is opened to a better settlement, but that naturally it as yet vague and nebulous." The "Journal," one of the most wide? ly circulated newspapers here, says: "While all are speaking of fraterni? zation and eternal peace, the French people cannot lose sight of reality, | and reality is the vicinity of 70,000,00*0 humiliated Germans shuddering under merited punishment. It is half of Europe in chaos. When we see evoked, i amid such perspectives, the seductive i idea of disarmament it is our duty to ask plainly, Where are the guarantees i and what is the forcer which will shel j ter us from the reaction of tragic, sur ! prise? To these questions a careful reading of the projected statutes of '-. the society of nations and the eloquent, speeches made at the conference bring but one answer: Moral force." "Pertinax," in the "Echo de Paris," j ends a long article by saying: "We are forced to conclude that the twenty six articles bring us no security. Until they are changed we can sacrifice nothing of or means of defence to them." In the Socialist newspaper "Hu manit?" Deputy Marcel Cach?n writes: "It is impossible to conceal the im? pression of disillusionment that first examination of the long convention makes on us. It is clear to the dullest that we are far from President Wil? son's first proposals. We find in the document neither the general spirit of President Wilson's messages nor the necessary clear information as to the | composition of the society and the role it is to play. The project cannot in any way command the support of democrats and peoples' parties, which placed such hopes in the idea of which j Mr. Wilson constituted himself i.n elo ' quent defender." "The fundamental point of the cove? nant which President Wilson submit? ted to the conference yesterday," writes Jean Herbette, political editor of the "Temps," "is that the nations which united in the tight for the right will remain as united to maintain peace as they were to win the war. Before the peace preliminaries and before the bond formed by the fraternity of arms had disappeared, a new bond appearrs. "For this great boon most of the I credit is due to President Wilson, ? whose departure France salutes to-day ; and whoso return she awaits. Presi : dent. Wilson is not only the sower of generous ideas, but he has been a skilful tactician. Sometimes patient, ' sometimes pressing, he is always tena? cious. He was not willing to return to Washington without carrying with him the plan of the covenant. We con? gratulate him and we congratulate our i selves." London Papers Call League Draft WorhVs "Greatest Document" LONDON'. Feb. 15.- The London i newspapers generally praise the draft ' of the league of nations as presented j to the peace conference yesterday by President Wilson. Many hail it as the most important and most memorable document produced in the history of , the world and congratulate the fram ers, especially President Wilson. The general plan is praised by the ; morning newspapers, which express I satisfaction over the "sound start" I made, though several point out that ', considerable work has yet to be done | before the ideals of the league can be fully realized. A few provisions are criticised, ; namely, the omission of a provision for a "general conference" as included in the league of nations plan of Gen? eral Smuts. In deploring the absence of this feature, "The Manchester Guardian," which has long been a champion of the league, says: "We stand a good chance of getting the league of nations run, not by the peoples, but by officials. The defect is one which cannot be overlooked, and when President Wilson comes back from America we trust that the con? stitution of the lcairuo of nations may be subjected to a somewhat searching revision." But apart from this "The Guardian" finds that the document "correspond" with all the hopes that have been founded on it." It says that the draft covers not only the question of boun? daries, but also of rtligious liberties un?] loen! autonomies; and declaring that the care of the backward nations is a matter which cannot be neglected "and it. comes naturally within the province of the league." The. majority of the evening news? papers also join in praising the docu? ment. "The Evening News" calls it "the Great ('harter which will put an end to war." "The Star" says; "We rejoice exceedingly, for here at last we have the Magna Charta of mankind, the covenant of humanity.'" "The Liverpool Post," after analyz? ing the draft, complains that "it looks a trifle official," and says that al? though this is not the moment for un? sympathetic criticism, for the league "to obtain the full moral au? thority that should belong to it it will sooner or Inter have to derive '. its direct inspiration from a genuine parliament of men." Wilson Urges League Debate ? Be Postponed| Continued from pace 1 debate and assisted materially in the drafting of this constitution. "Fach article was passed only after \ the most careful examination by each ! member of the committee. There is a good and sufficient reason for the ! phraseology and substance of each article. 1 request that I be permitted j to go over witli you article by arti I ele the constitution before this part of the work of the conference is made the subject of debate by Con? gress. With this in view, 1 request that you dine with me at the White House as soon after I arrive in the United States as my engagements permit." End of Mrnroe Doctrine The news that the President had urged silence until his return and of his promise to explain in detail was received after a day in which virtually every conversation around the cloak? rooms and corridors of the Capitol centred on the proposed league of na? tions. Sentiment for and against the league, which yesterday was headed off by the impossibility of quickly | comprehending so involved and com? plicated a proposition, to-day began crystallizing very rapidly, and Sena? tors were expressing themselves rath? er freely. Opposition to the league, judging fiom most of the comments made to? day, is based chiefly on "the old Amer? ica ni -m idea. Virtually every one con? cedes that the new league will bury ; for all time the Monroe Doctrine. ! Friends of the new proposal admit that this is true, but say the new league i removes the necessity for the Monroe : Doctrine, and relieves the United | States of this duty which it has so ! lf.ng carried. Opponents of the plan, however, declare this sacrifice of the "America for Americans" idea and the ending of the policy of isolating the Western Hemisphere from the quar? rels of the Eastern is far too great a | sacrifice to make in return for the ; doubtful benefits of granting this | country and others in this hemisphere ! the right to put their fingers in the ! quarrels of Europe, Asia and Africa. Japan Might Police Mexico A distinguished member of the For? eign Relations Committee, who refused to be quoted by name, pointed out that this phase of the situation presented ! very grave problems to the American people which should be considered by i them most carefully. "We must face the possibility," he : pointed out, "that at some time, and be | catrse of circumstances which might 1 arise, Japan might easily be made the mandatory power of the league of na? tions with authority to police Mexico ' or to bring order out of chaos in that , country. On another occasion Great Britain might be made the mandatory power to intervene in Venezuela and ! restore order by the sword in that ! country. "It may be that with a league of na i tions established, and with the promise at least of ending all war, the people of the United States might agree to sacri | lice the Monroe Doctrine, and even be ; willing that Japan and Great Britain 1 should have a hand in policing the Wi .'tern Hemisphere. It is a matter, i however, on which I would like to hear from the people. Personally, I am not < namored of it." Not to Halt Senate Debate The President's decision to talk over the proposed constitution of the league with' members of the Foreign Relations committees of the two houses of Con? gress probably will not cut off speeches on tlie subject in the Senate, though it will prevent the introduction of resolu? tions by Administration Senators, as they had planned to do on Monday, in? dorsing the proposed constitution, with a view to forcing the Senate to go on record in favor of the President's ideas. It will be the first, time in all the troublesome and ticklish international times since the outbreak of the Eu? ropean war that the President has I conferred with the membership of i either committee as a body. During . the Panama Canal tolls tight, the : President had the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the White House one night, but that was before the outbreak of the Euro? pean war. Senators to-night commented that I the dinner to be held on the Presi ! dent's return, reminded them of the time the President came up to the FnrriiHiiiiiiNiiniiiiiiiiiiiunTTiiiiMiiMMuiiiiiiiir ?EI^GDO^F OODMAN ?1? FIFTH AVENUE IMPORTERS CREATORS Constant importations from Paris and weekly productions from our own staff, artists in the creation of smart, wearable clothes, insure patrons great latitude in the selection of in? dividual, personally suitable costumes. Ol R FLORENTINE CAPE Graceful, dignified, practical ri ML 1.1 LU U I '.LU.LLU.LLU I I I I ) 1 I I I 11 I 11 I I I I ! I I I I I i \.) I I I I I M fl ..>tm ,t- .... ,_,.^.Mui.?ucitn ?imm-amamimmmBmimmmmmtmMm?mmaBvamBummemmtmmKBiamfB*'*'** Capitol and asked the advice of every Democratic Senator who could be reached quickly as to the best course to pursue with reference to Germany? several hours after ho had dispatched a note to Germany embodying his deci? sion in the matter. Even before the receipt of the President's message urgine against any debate many of the leaders of both partios, and of both friends and foes of the league, refused to discuss it for : publication, saying they were not sure they had grasped fully the possibilities I opened up by tiie league. "1 do not understand the simplp document," said Senator Henry' Cabot Lodge, Republican leader, and one of the strongest opponents of the league. He placed much emphasis on the word "simple." Senator Knox, another of the Re? publican leaders on the Foreign Rela? tions Committee, and who formerly was Secretary of State, also declined to attempt to analyze the proposed con? stitution for publication. The Republican Senators opposed to the league, however, are pretty well agreed that the chief objection lies in the fact that the foreign policy which has governed America since its foun? dation is thrown to the winds of the new nrnnrw?i] Belgian Railroad Damage Estimated At Over a Billion Commission Finds 690 Mile^ Totally Destroyed and 260 Useless; Germans Seized 2,614 Engines,89,620Cars PARIS, Feb. 15.?-The Belgian Com? mission which is investigating the damage done by the Germans to rail? roads in occupied territory, while it has not yet finished its work, is in *a posi? tion to give interesting figures. Nearly 690 miles of railroad tracks were destroyed completely and nearly 200 miles virtually destroyed and rcn dered useless out of a total mileage of i approximately "J.600 in Belgium. The Germans appropriated 2,6_4 locomotives out of a total of 4.53-1, or i about 57 per cent; 9,062 passenger ; coaches out of a total of 10,SI4-', or 93 per cent, and 80.568 freight cars out of a total of Pi.737, or S6 per cent. The block signal system in Belgium was destroyed and replaced by a Ger? man system with which the Belgian locomotive engineers are not ac? quainted. It will have to be removed and the Belgian system reinstalled. The commission is not able to make public >et the number of bridge:; ov stations destroyed. 100,000,000 Pounds Steel Needed All the bridges loading in and out of Cstend and Bruges have been de? stroyed and virtually all in West Flan? ders, as well as those over the Meuse at T.iege. Namur, Uuy and Dinant. Fight bridges over the Ghcnt-Terneu .'.ni canal were blown up. Two of the.se bridges at Salzaete, near the Dutcn frontier, weighed 3,000.000 pounds each. It is estimated that more than 100.000,000 pounds of si ?el will be re juired to rebuild the bridge: in FIsTh ders alone. The commission estimates the dam?* age to railroad material, tracks, bring '5 and otlv-r cqtiipn ire than one billion dollars. The Supreme Council of the P?aco Conference to-day appointed a committee to study the daims of Bel? gium for an indemnity. ','.??- Amer? ican members of the committee are Charles II. Haskins and Col. S. ' >. Embrick. France is faced with a most ro!'mi ? ?- isr the impor? tant coal and industrial districts of the Department of tin' Nord and the Calais, and ?I ? ;11 cost 75,000,1 I ''"a-re^ ($15,000,000,000), atcordii statem ? made to the Fr? ?ich Senate by Louis Loucheur, Minister of Indus? trial Reconstruction. The Germans complete!,.- destroyed 1??1 coal pits. The lepair of the mines will coc.1 ?vue ?ian 2,000,000.000 francs ($400,000,000 lu accomplished in less ten year-. The factories in the distr :1 have no raw material :\m\ the machinery has ? "'.'ti or i'.i'-i ??' I away. M. Loucheur said it would require sever .1 years and 40,000 freighl cars to baek the machinery ?taken to Germany. _23 m E?E 3BE S 3? \m ?fc?j :<y 55 ^SSIMllMM;^^ No Connection With Any Other Establishment in the World 34*? STREET NEW YORK iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiWRittiig-t4!!-^^ 3? t=ft ?c Presenting the Newer Models The Values Are Most Extraordinary TV EW Frocks of fine Mannish Serge, in a wide variety of designs. Shown in strictly tailored, braided or embroid* ered effects. Very Specially Priced, 18.50 JJLABORATELY beaded Frocks of Georgette Crepe or Crepe JOj de Chine. Frocks of Tricotine, Satin, Serge or Wool Jersey. Frocks of Georgette Crepe in novel draped effects. Very Specially Priced, R ICHLY beaded Frocks of Georgette in Street and Dinner Shades. Sumptuously embroidered Frocks of Satin or Tricotine. 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