TEMPTING OFFERS TURNED DOWN

Evening Star, Issue 17312, 27 March 1920, Page 1

TEMPTING OFFERS TURNED DOWN

It is well known that the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army kept a diary during the war, and that publishers have made him tempting offers for it; hut he has rejected all proposals for its. publication. There can be no doubt that he has acted wisely in adopting this course. To givo publicity to the war secrets in his possession, would givo offence to any persons in authority who were associated with these secrets, for it is certain that none of them would agree with him or with one another as to what constitutes a correct and impartial account of their conflicts oS opinion in tho prosecution of the war in. the days when the outlook was dark and critical. Lord H-ai-j, unlike Lord French, 13 not under the necessity of trying to defend his military reputation, and therefore he can afford to remain silent. But it is not Lord Haig's intention to destroy his diary of tho war. It is probable that he will bequeath'it to thq nation at his death, or ie&vo directions for its publication after tho. lapse of a specified term of years. Another prominent man who has refused the offers of publishers to write the story ot the war as he saw it is M. Georges Clemenceau, the outstanding figruro among; the French statesmen who played an active part in guiding the destinies, of France to victory. In order to remove temptation from him ho has destroyed his war diary and the important communications. he re-i ceived during the war. If it is advisable in -the interests of national and international harmony that the story of Great Britain's part in the war should not be re« vealed by tho British Commander-in-Chief, it is ten times moro necessary that the secret history of events in Franca during Ciemeneeau's term of office &a Prima Minister should not be told. To record tha dissensions nnd intrigues of French politicians, their doubts and distrusts of Greaii Britain and other Allies, would but dim the glory of France's great sacrifices in the cause of freedom. Therefore it is im« possible not to admire the attitude of AL. Clomeuceau, who, at the age of 79, declares, in response to tempting oft'erg for his reminiscences: "I have done with the past; X look to the future." Nevertheless, M. Clemenceau is a disapEoiutei man, for the future cannot ealva is wounded pride. His defeat in the election for the Presidentship of France, which came as a great. surprise, was due to his bad tactics. Had he announced when he was asked to stand as successor to M. Pomcare, that he would be a candidate, there would not have been any opposition, for no candidate would have had any chance against him. But he declared that he waa not a candidate. The French nation took this to mean that he did not want to be Pre«f» dent. What he did mean was that he did not want to stand for election in the orthodox way, but to have the Presidency offered to him as a reward for his great cervices to France. In the end he allowed his name to be put forward as a candidate, but by that time 21. Deschanel had received so much political support that his election was assured.—London correspondent of the ' Ago.*