More Echoes of the Conference Numerous reports of what went on inside the Paris Peace Conference continue from time to time to appear. The volume of Mr. Keynes (The Economic Consequences of the The Peace) already reviewed in itheso columns has prob—ably been highly influential in convincing a great number of people that the Treaty as it is can not be enforced. Since that volume first appeared in 1919 there have been many events in Europe, especially in Germany. tending to confirm that opinion.
A small book issued last winter in America gives an intimate account of the part played by Mr. Wilson in the Conference, from a quite different angle from that of rr. Keynes.
Mr. Baker, 2 well known American journalist and author, was director of the American Press Bureau at the Peace Conference, and was thus in a position to know what actually happened there, having had " "exceptional opportunities to know what forces. sentiments. and purposes struggled for the mastery in its decision and what methods they fought."
Mr. Wilson went to Europe with an idealistic programme which he hoped to get incorporated in a League of Nations which should form a constituent part of the Proaty of Peace. He found on the contrary every country Europe opposed to some part" of his plan, and some of them (notably France) hostile to the whole of it, more particularly as represented by Premier Clemenceau. The result was a series of five distinct crises in the Conference. which are fully explained in this book, each having a chapter assigned to it. These are by this time too well understood to require com: ment.
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The object of this notice is to call attention to the injustice frequently done to Mr. Wilson by re presenting him (as Mr. Keynes does) as merely "playing _blind-man's buff" in a room filled with skilled diplomats. That his associates were opposed to him on a great many points he immediately perceived. They undoubtedly were extremely skilful in a kind of diplomacy in which Mr. Wilson had no experience, and for which he entertained a profound detest tion, namely secret agreements and understandings. which. like the trigger of a trap were only to be disclosed when it was time for them to be sprung. So far from being a "blind man," Mr. Wilson was a man of far vision, but he was confronted by a corps of antagonists who were agreed upon nothing else than their determi: nation each one to get what he wanted, after which they were willing ostentatiously to agree in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.